Patna: To stop the rising cases of electricity theft, Bihar’s energy department has launched a major crackdown. The department has formed a special task force (STF) team that will go door to door to catch people stealing power. Officials said the team will focus on industrial users, smart pre-paid consumers who have not recharged their meters for three months, and those using electricity even after their connections were cut.
Marriage halls and boards are also on the department’s target list as they are often found using power without paying bills. The STF team has been told to conduct regular raids and check premises for illegal connections. In recent raids, many people were caught stealing electricity, FIRs were filed against them, and lakhs of rupees were recovered in fines.
Urban Assistant Electrical Engineer Shiv Shankar Singh said that along with raids, inspections are being carried out at smart meters and transformers to catch theft at different levels. He added that preventing electricity theft is very important to reduce revenue loss and improve power supply for honest consumers.
The energy department has appealed to all consumers to take proper connections and pay their bills on time. Officials have warned that the raids will continue in the coming days to ensure there is no power theft in Bihar’s cities and villages.
