Barely had the violence over the survey at an historical mosque in Sambhal died down, that the Uttar Pradesh authorities intensified its drive in opposition to energy theft within the tense city, together with across the contested construction.
After energy officers claimed to have unearthed unlawful electrical energy connections in “a number of mosques and a madrasa”, Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath mentioned within the state Meeting that “mini-power stations” had been being operated from spiritual locations in Sambhal. Whereas the road lack of the Uttar Pradesh Energy Company Ltd (UPPCL) within the state was lower than 30%, Adityanath mentioned, the road loss in some localities of Sambhal was greater than 75%, calling it “looting of the nation’s sources”.
Sambhal Samajwadi Get together MP Zia Ur Rehman Barq, who’s already going through fees over the November 24 violence in Sambhal, has been slapped with a advantageous of Rs 1.91 crore over alleged energy theft and threatened with attachment of his property if the dues usually are not paid inside 15 days. The electrical energy provide to his Sambhal residence has been disconnected, whereas his father Mamlukur Rehman Barq has additionally been booked, for allegedly threatening energy officers throughout the inspection of their residence.
On Thursday, the Energy Division initiated comparable motion throughout the Moradabad division, which incorporates the Sambhal district, with Commissioner Aunjaneya Kumar Singh ordering stringent checking for electrical energy theft throughout all spiritual locations.
The orders had been handed at a divisional assessment assembly attended by senior officers together with district magistrates of Bijnor, Rampur, Amroha and Sambhal. Singh mentioned officers ought to examine electrical energy metres at temples, mosques, gurdwaras and church buildings in all of the districts of the division.
As per senior UPPCL officers, whereas the motion in Sambhal could have drawn consideration, the drive in opposition to electrical energy theft within the state is routine and ongoing. What’s totally different this time, they are saying, is that inspections are being performed in areas reporting “vital electrical energy losses”.
In response to them, amongst districts recognized by them after a survey, the place “focused inspections” are on, embody Budaun, Bareilly, Lakhimpur Kheri, Moradabad, and others. On Saturday, officers mentioned, residents in Budaun and Rampur held a protest because the crew arrived for inspections, and locals intervened to resolve the matter. “We have now a WhatsApp group the place officers share updates, together with pictures, of protests occurring of their respective districts,” mentioned an official on the Lucknow headquarters.
An officer mentioned that over the previous three months, new directions have gone out on how and when inspections ought to be performed. “We maintain complete data of consumption patterns to pinpoint areas in sub-stations the place electrical energy utilization is excessive, however income assortment stays low,” mentioned the officer.
Whereas the state produces round 7,000 MW of energy, even in winters, every day consumption can go as much as 15,000 MW, the officer mentioned. “It’s estimated that round 20-22% of the whole electrical energy provided is misplaced resulting from theft and different causes.”
As a part of its drive, the Energy Division can be changing outdated electrical meters with good meters, and upgrading electrical energy wires to protect in opposition to harm and theft.
Earlier this week, UPPCL Chairman Dr Ashish Kumar Goel directed that efforts to curb electrical energy theft wanted extra push. The division just lately introduced a One-Time Settlement scheme to boost invoice assortment.
In Sambhal, officers mentioned, the marketing campaign has been on for 4 months, and intensified over the previous few days because it moved into densely populated areas with police deployed to beat back any hassle. Three drone cameras are getting used to determine buildings and homes which can have unauthorised energy connections.
“Within the final 4 days, we now have recognized 196 places the place unlawful energy connections had been getting used, and instances have been registered. These embody 5 mosques and a madrasa,” Vinod Kumar Gupta, Superintendent Engineer (Energy), Sambhal, instructed The Indian Specific.
SP Sambhal district president Asgar Ali mentioned that they had no issues with any checks in opposition to energy theft, however {that a} routine process had been became “focused raids on the behest of political leaders”. Ali pointed to motion in 4 Muslim-dominated areas of Sambhal.
In regards to the motion in opposition to MP Barq, Ali mentioned he belongs to a outstanding political household, along with his grandfather Shafiqur Rahman Barq, who handed away earlier this yr, a long-serving MP. “Zia Ur Rehman was an MLA earlier than turning into an MP. Does it make any sense to accuse somebody of his stature of stealing electrical energy?” Ali mentioned.
Gupta denied allegations of selective motion, or of performing on a particular grievance, saying: “We have now registered FIRs in opposition to a mosque and all the homes discovered utilizing unlawful electrical energy connections (in Sambhal).”
BJP spokesperson Rakesh Tripathi mentioned: “The FIR in opposition to MP Zia Ur Rehman was filed after a preliminary inquiry, and it’s regarding that these liable for making legal guidelines are concerned in such actions… The SP ought to take motion in opposition to him as a substitute of defending him.”
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