'Pillar box' system helping bring down power losses: Cong MLA

The 'pillar box' system, introduced by Haryana power utilities on a pilot basis in some villages of the state, has helped bring down power losses, Congress leader and MLA, Sampat Singh said today.
"The aggregate technical losses in two villages where pillar box system was introduced on pilot basis, has come down in a month to 10 per cent from 40 per cent earlier," Singh, a former Finance and Power Minister, told reporters here.
The system was introduced in Chirod and Singhran villages of his Nalwa assembly constituency by Rohtak MP Deepender Singh Hooda on April 6, he said.
"Under this system, insulated cables are erected by replacing bare low-tension conductor and all meters are placed in pillar boxes outside homes," he said.

The scheme was started with the consent of the villagers, he said.
The number of connections in Chirod and Singhran has gone up by 25 and 35 per cent respectively as 'Kundi' (illegal) connections were eliminated completely and this indicated that power theft had ceased in these villages, he said.

"There has been no tripping or breakdown in supply during the first month (April). After this success story, three more villages Chuli Bagrian (Hisar), Mandholi and Siwach (Bhiwani) have also been added," he said.
Singh said Singhran and Chirod had been supplied 1,75,200 power units during April, last year.
"However, after the scheme was introduced last month, the two villages were supplied 1,64,635 units despite the increase in hours of supply from 11 hours per day to 24 hours per day, indicating that power theft in these villages had ceased," he said.

The system under which 300 more villages across the state would be covered in coming months would go a long way in supplying power to rural domestic consumers round-the-clock, he said.
Singh said the implementation of the scheme would cost the power utilities Rs 40 lakh, which they hope to recover by March next year, after which they would be earning revenue from the villages.
"With the opting for a new scheme for better power supply by cutting losses due to theft and non-payment of bills, a reverse wave has started blowing in Haryana where farmers, who earlier defaulted in payment of the bills and devised means for drawing free power, are shunning pilferage," he said.