AGARTALA, Feb 25 (TIWN): Despite of several initiatives taken by the Tripura State Electricity Corporation Limited, power theft in unauthorised colonies is going unchecked.

Reportedly, the corporation where allegedly failed to provide round the clock electricity in the metered areas, several families in various parts of the state are illegally using the electricity through hook line.

According to the official report of the Power Department, during the financial year 2012-2013, 2013-2014 and 2014-15 altogether 37, 012 electricity theft incidents has been caught.

However, where Ministerial authority claims about the developing the area after winning the election, families in the interior parts of the state are yet suffering from no power supply even after several election.

But, power theft in Tripura is still going on without having any restrain making the legal consumers bound to suffer from load-shedding due to the negligence of concerned officials.

Power theft is one of the main reasons for damage to infrastructure, a fact which can be acknowledged by the TSECL, but no action is being taken to prevent it.

On the other hand, frequent load-shedding returned to haunt the people of Tripura with over two-hour power cut in every morning and evening for past few months. The load-shedding in Tripura has made life miserable as Tripura’s own power generation is down to its half of total capacity for past few months.

As the situation stands, Tripura State Electricity Corporation Limited (TSECL) has started massive load shedding to maintain the deficit in power supply.

Due to frequent fault in the production units and loss of huge power due to hook-line users, TSECL has increased the load shedding time to one and half hours, but due to continuous faults in the power generation units and a vast number of illegal power consumers, the people of Tripura have been facing unprecedented power-cut problem for a pro-longed period.

It is worthy to mention here that Madhyamik and Higher Secondary examinations are scheduled to be started from first week of March, next. If the power-cut continues in same way, the Board appearing students will be in key trouble. 

People in several unauthorised colonies, which have sprung in the city in recent years, could be found stealing power using hooks lines.

Areas like ADC and Jumpui Jala the power theft case is rampant.

It’s often an “invisible” crime. Someone illegally hooks into a power supply, hooks up a line that has been disconnected, or tampers with a meter to avoid recording electricity usage. At some places the field staff of the department even helps people steal electricity in return of money.