Unauthorized power connections to be regularised, stringent punishment for violators: J-K admin

To ensure uninterrupted power supply and bring down pilferage, the Jammu and Kashmir administration has decided to make certain that all consumers have metered connection and strictly enforce provisions of the Central Electricity Act for stringent punishment to violators.

According to an order issued by the administration of the Union territory, all power distribution corporations of Jammu and Kashmir have been directed to ensure that electric metres are installed at all industrial and commercial establishments within two months.

"All industrial and commercial establishments and general purpose bulk, UT, Central consumers across the UT of Jammu & Kashmir shall be metered within a period of two months. There shall not remain any such establishment consuming power, unmetered," it reads.

Officials have been directed to conduct special drives in their respective jurisdictions to ensure metering and collection of dues in a time-bound manner.

"There are a large number of electrified households in the Union Territory without metering and electricity dues are realized on flat rate basis. A huge power consumption and power theft has been observed in such cases," the order stated.

It further said massive enforcement drives will be launched, physical audit of each household carried out, and load agreement revised in all such cases based on average power consumption, so as to realize flat rate revenue based on actual units consumed by households, till such households are fully metered.

The officials concerned have also been directed to ensure stringent punishment to violators under the Central Electricity Act.

"All unauthorized power connections across the Union Territory of J&K shall be regularized under the provisions of Central Electricity Act. The defaulters, if any, shall also be penalized stringently under the enabling provisions of the Central Electricity Act," the order reads.