NEW DELHI: The Delhi Government's inability to keep sealed illegal factories closed has come to light again with a raid in West Delhi leading to detection of 300 KW of power theft by four illegal ice units. In another raid in East Delhi, four illegal dyeing factories were allegedly caught stealing 145 KW of power.

The anti-power theft raids were conducted recently by enforcement teams of power distribution company BSES in association with the Delhi police. All the raids were conducted under the supervision of area SDMs.

All the four ice factories raided in Najafgarh were allegedly caught red handed stealing power by hooking from nearby BSES LV Mains. The raiding team also seized illegal wires and incriminating documents proving that the ice factories were operating round the clock. A first information report was subsequently lodged at the Najafgarh police station under the Electricity Act, 2003.

Of the four units, New Shokeen Ice Factory was allegedly caught stealing 100 KW, Rajinder Ice Factory 59 KW, Vikas Ice Factory 63.95 KW and Amar Ice Factory 87.95 KW. In all, these units were allegedly stealing 311.65 KW of power and so a penalty of Rs.2.79 crores would be imposed on them by BSES.

Incidentally, BSES said, this was not the first time that these ice factories had been raided. In 2004 and 2005 also, its enforcement teams had raided them. However, in those raids the teams were allegedly assaulted by their employees.

Even then, FIRs were registered at the Najafgarh police station.

Stating that "it is worth mentioning that these factories were carrying out their illegal operations in violation and complete disregard of various orders of the SDM and the Health and Pollution Departments of the Delhi Government,'' BSES said "these factories had been sealed by the SDM in May 2006.'' However, "in all these factories, employees had devised indigenous ways to gain access without disturbing the seals".

The illegal dyeing units were raided and allegedly caught stealing electricity amounting to 145 KW in Biharipur village near Karawal Nagar in East Delhi. These units were also allegedly stealing power by hooking from the nearby BSES LV Mains.

All these units were engaged in colouring and dyeing of jeans and were working for major brands. BSES said cumulatively the four units were liable for a penalty of Rs 45 lakhs from the offence committed by them.

Yet another major power theft was detected by a BSES-Delhi police team near Ashram Chowk in South Delhi. Here 500 illegal tappings were removed from three clusters situated near New Friends Colony. The clusters situated in Sunlight Colony, Siddhartha Colony and Budh Basti were cumulatively and illegally drawing 400 KW of electricity from the nearby BSES LV Mains. About 1,000 kg of wire used for the illegal tappings was also seized by the enforcement teams.

Following these raids, BSES said the quality of power to the posh areas of New Friends Colony, CSIR Apartments and Siddharth Apartments would improve.

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