Noida: More than 3,000 illegal power connections were disconnected and 41 FIRs filed by the electricity department over the past three days in Chotpur, Sadullapur and Chhajarsi areas of Hindon floodplain as part of a drive against electricity theft.Uttar Pradesh Power Corporation Limited (UPPCL) had been conducting the drive since Friday with the aim to tackle aggregate technical and commercial losses in Noida, which has consistently been identified as a ‘high-loss zone’. According to a report submitted by state transformation commission to chief minister on Thursday, Chhajarsi itself has 13,000 illegal electricity connections. Any effort to disconnect such power lines led to a law-and-order situation with the locals, CM was told.With CM’s go-ahead, officials of the electricity department, district administration and police launched the operation to disconnect illegal power lines.
In Chotpur village, Sukhbir Khalifa, president of the Bharatiya Kisan Parishad held a protest against the drive on Sunday
According to Amit Tripathi, an executive engineer of the raid and enforcement team, till Saturday, around 3,000 illegal connections had been disconnected and 29 FIRs had been filed against those involved in using electricity from these lines. These connections were leading to a loss of 97.5 kW of electricity.“On Sunday, 200 more illegal connections were disconnected. FIRs have been filed against 12 people. The connections were causing a loss of 28.2 W,” he said, adding that 300 metres of illegal 11 kV primary conductor — utilised for unauthorised electricity distribution — were confiscated during the operation along with 10 unauthorised distribution transformers.In Parthala village, a 200 kVA transformer was found in a locked house. The owner was illegally supplying electricity to an entire colony, charging Rs 300 per metre for the connection line and Rs 11 per unit used. The owner is absconding and a lookout notice has been issued against him, the official said.According to a 2017 NGT order, no electricity connections are allowed in flood-prone areas, which include Chotpur, Sadullapur and Chhajarsi. “While the case is still ongoing, people in these areas tap into a nearby electricity pole and draw a connection,” a senior official said.Umesh Yadav, superintending engineer of the electricity department, said several attempts to check these illegal connections before had failed. “Several attempts were made earlier to control power theft in Chhajarsi. But every time, the residents reconnected the supply from the pole and would create a law-and-order situation. They had earlier gheraoed the homes of the DM and the local MLA. For three months, they had gheraoed our office too,” he said.Meanwhile, residents of the area staged a protest after the power lines were cut to their homes. They alleged that the electricity department disconnected supply lines without providing prior notice. “The lack of electricity amid the summer heat is causing great hardship to children, the elderly, and others,” said Ravi Singh, a resident of the area.Farmers in Chotpur also held a protest against the drive on Sunday. The protest was led by Sukhbir Khalifa, the president of Baratiya Kisan Parishad.According to officials, the enforcement campaign is not just about financial restitution but also emphasises public safety. “Illegal and unsafe electrical networks pose a significant risk to residents and infrastructure in the vicinity. By cracking down on such practices, UPPCL aims to ensure safer living conditions and restore integrity to the power supply system,” Sanjay Kumar Jain, chief engineer, Noida power department, said.UPPCL has urged all consumers to obtain valid electricity connections and to ensure that their consumption is registered through the appropriate metering systems installed at their premises. “The department has reiterated that electricity theft and illegal distribution are serious offences, punishable under the law,” Jain said.
