The Hindu : Kerala / Thiruvananthapuram News : Hi-tech meters

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Saturday, Jul 01, 2006

Kerala

Kerala - Thiruvananthapuram

Hi-tech meters

The magnitude of power theft taking place in the State which was revealed by Electricity Minister A.K. Balan in the Assembly recently was shocking. He announced a scheme under which those indulging in the malpractice can make voluntary disclosures and remit the payment for it to the Kerala State Electricity Board which will keep their identity confidential. Do you think it will work? If not, what should the Board do to discourage power theft? Our readers respond:

Hi-tech meters

The only way to curb power theft is to make the meter tamper-proof. In the case of microprocessor-based meters, it is easy to incorporate necessary changes in the embedded software to detect tampering. The Kerala State Electricity Board (KSEB) can afford to use such meters only for large power consumers. In the case of consumer connections, the meters should be installed in a separate box made of sheet metal. A small glass window can be provided to record the readings. The KSEB employees, however, will have to make sure that the connections to the meter are perfect before sealing off as no further maintenance is possible.

R. Venkita Giri

Thiruvananthapuram

Welcome move

The scheme of facilitating the perpetrators of power theft to make voluntary disclosures and remit the payment is a welcome move. The Government should constitute special task forces to conduct regular and surprise inspections of all power stations and firms to check the propriety of electricity being supplied and used. Those found to be guilty should be punished. Firms using power illegally should be ordered to shut down and their licences cancelled. Officials who abet power theft should be dismissed to deter others from committing such acts. Campaigns prohibiting power theft should be organised. Rewards should be announced for those who inform about such misdoings with the promise to keep their identity confidential. Laws pertaining to penalty and provisions of power theft need to be reviewed and strengthened.

Mohammed Riyaz A

Thiruvananthapuram

Amend law

Power theft and transmission loss are major issues to be tackled. The voluntary scheme announced by the Minister may not bring tangible results. Stringent punishment should be given to those involved in power theft. The law may be amended, if required. Technology should be upgraded.

A. Jacob Sahayam

Thiruvananthapuram

Alarming trend

The magnitude of power theft in the State is alarming. The scheme announced by the Minister for voluntary disclosure of theft does not appear to yield the desired result. However, the scheme should be for a specific period and can be extended depending upon its success. It should also specify that cases, if any, brought to the notice of the KSEB thereafter would be viewed seriously. Fine to the tune of three to four times the theft amount should be imposed. The authorities could take steps to amend the existing rules. The anti-theft squad should be strengthened. Such squads should be established region-wise. The squads should be equipped with sufficient staff and vehicles. They should be given the power to conduct raids in doubtful circumstances at odd hours without notice. The success of the effort will depend on the enforcement of the rules and regulations and the loyalty of the squad members.

P. Achuthan

Thiruvananthapuram

Laudable plan

Power theft was not so common in Kerala compared to north Indian States. Power theft increased after the introduction of the electronic meter. The plan announced by Electricity Minister A.K. Balan is laudable. People who are involved in power theft have disclosed their misdeeds. Many of them belong to the high strata of society.

Power theft increased because of the negligence and indifference of the previous Government. It hit the revenue of the KSEB. Surprise checks should be conducted. The present initiative will not yield the desired result if it is not implemented systematically and scientifically. The latest technology should be used in the meters to record the readings and variations. Regular inspections of power line and posts should be carried out.

Sreeja S. Nair

Thiruvananthapuram

Surprise checks

The proposal is good but it will not work. More than 50 per cent of those who indulge in the malpractice will not own up. Those found guilty and refuse to pay the fine should be made to pay for the losses and given stringent punishment. It is ridiculous that a noted VIP in Kerala who pleads for power supply in the rural areas of the State has been indulging in the malpractice. The KSEB is incurring huge loss. It should start annual surprise inspections. This can be done by those who record the reading of the meter. The previous Government had announced that if a person reported power theft in his area, he would be given a small prize by the KSEB. A similar step should be put into practice.

R. Akhil Ratheesh

Thiruvananthapuram

Escape route

The new scheme will not solve the problem of power theft. It will only provide an escape route to the guilty. Behind every instance of power theft, there is the connivance or laxity on the part of some KSEB employees. The new scheme absolves them of their responsibility. The employees should be made accountable. An effective method for preventing power theft is to install power distribution metres in every main supply line and make the lineman liable for the total amount of power supplied through that line, as shown by the meter.

The total consumption of all the consumers connected to that particular line should be equal to the quantity shown by the main line meter, reduced only by the normal permissible percentage of transmission loss. If a difference is detected, the lineman should be made to inspect the consumer meters.

The sub-engineers and section engineers should monitor the power supply and accounting of power through the linemen under their charge.

S. Karthikeyan

Nedumangad

Ineffective idea

Electricity Minister's new idea is well appreciated. But it will be ineffective in Kerala, as people will not voluntarily disclose electricity theft. All theft is being done intentionally, especially for industrial purposes. So, the authorities should find out other ways to detect the malpractice.

Advanced technology should be applied for this purpose. Engineers must be aware of new technical methods to detect illegal consumption of electricity. Informers should be rewarded.

Akbar Ali Hussain

Thiruvananthapuram

Strong measures

Tamper-proof meters should be used, but these are expensive.

The Government has to be vigilant about the condition prevailing in the State. Power should not be supplied for 10 days to those domestic consumers who indulge in power theft.

Unless the Government takes stringent measures, the State will incur a huge loss. The staff members found to be involved in malpractices should be dismissed.

Devi T

Thiruvananthapuram

Thiruvananthapuram

Printer friendly page
Send this article to Friends by E-Mail

Kerala