Punjab Cracks Down on Power Theft: 296 FIRs Filed, 38 Employees Terminated

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North News

Chandigarh, September 10

In a major crackdown on power theft, the Punjab government has registered 296 FIRs at Anti-Power Theft Police Stations and terminated 38 employees for corruption in August, said  Power Minister Harbhajan Singh on Tuesday. The state’s aggressive campaign includes regular checks and raids, resulting in 90 FIRs in Patiala Zone, 79 in Amritsar Zone, 71 in Bathinda Zone, 29 in Ludhiana Zone, and 27 in Jalandhar Zone.

The Power Minister highlighted that these actions align with the Punjab government’s zero-tolerance policy against corruption. He reported the termination of 37 outsourced meter-readers and one supervisor for corrupt practices over the past two months, emphasizing that power theft will not be tolerated under any circumstances.

Minister Singh reaffirmed the government’s commitment to combating power theft and warned perpetrators to cease their illegal activities and regularize their power connections. He stressed that the Power Department is determined to eliminate power theft, a significant drain on the state’s resources, and that every effort will be made to identify and prosecute offenders.

Instructions have been issued for extensive special inspections statewide to both prevent power theft and recover lost revenue.