SRINAGAR, July 15: The Kashmir Power Distribution Corporation Limited (KPDCL) has issued a stern warning to smart-metered consumers against the unauthorized use of electricity through hooking, emphasizing that such practices will attract punitive measures under the Electricity Act.
KPDCL’s recent inspection drives have revealed a significant number of consumers in urban and semi-urban areas of Kashmir Division bypassing meters and using illegal hooks to steal electricity. In a press statement issued today, a KPDCL spokesperson highlighted that reports of hooking have been received from all city subdivisions and several district headquarters where smart meters are installed.
“KPDCL is taking swift action against hooking, which begins with remote disconnection of the consumer’s electricity supply, followed by the recovery of energy consumed illegally,” the spokesperson said. The corporation is actively working to combat power theft, ensuring that offenders face consequences.
The areas most affected by illegal hooking include Mominabad, Batmaloo, Tengpora, and Alocha Bagh in ESD Huzuribagh, Mini Housing Colony and Rose Enclave in ESD Chanapora, Bemina in ESD Watalkadal, KP Bagh in ESD Sheikh Bagh, Buchwara in ESD Dalgate, Nadroo and Old Baghat in ESD Baghat. Other affected subdivisions include KK Moulla, Pather Masjid, Habba Kadal, Rainawari, Khanyar, Hawal, Zakura, Nishat, Anantnag, Baramulla I, and Sopore I & II.
KPDCL has mapped all consumers involved in hooking and plans to present challans in Designated Courts under the Electricity Act for the imposition of hefty fines on those habitually tampering with meters and hooking on bare conductors. “FIRs have also been registered against 35 consumers for tampering with and bypassing smart meters,” the spokesperson added.
To date, KPDCL has installed 2,99,755 smart meters in the Kashmir Division under PMDP I & II, with 1,21,651 of these meters converted to prepaid mode. The prepaid system offers consumers the advantage of daily bill generation and energy usage monitoring, along with the convenience of recharging their accounts in advance to ensure reliable power supply.
KPDCL to Remotely Disconnect Smart Metered Consumers for Hooking, Meter Tampering
