Power engineers discuss issue of power theft with Finance Minister
The PSEB Engineers’ Association, in a meeting held on October 1 with Finance Minister Harpal Singh Cheema, discussed several key issues concerning power.
During the meeting Cheema emphasised the urgent need to ramp up efforts against the malice of power theft, which he identified as a major threat to the financial stability and operational efficiency of the sector. He said every year, electricity worth Rs 2600 crore was stolen. He described power theft as not only an economic burden but also a menace that undermined the overall functioning of the state’s energy system. The minister stressed the importance of strong measures to curb the illegal activity and assured the association’s delegation that the government stood firmly behind their efforts. He reiterated that combating power theft was a responsibility, and the government was ready to provide all necessary resources and support to the engineers to help them curb the menace.
JS Dhiman, president of the association, expressed appreciation for the government’s commitment and support. He acknowledged that addressing electricity theft was a top priority for the power sector engineers, as it directly impacted the reliability and financial sustainability of the sector. The president assured the minister that engineers were working diligently to detect and prevent electricity theft, but would further intensify their efforts in light of the government’s backing.
Dhiman expressed concerns about the frequent ‘gheraos’ and ‘dharnas’ that power engineers were facing during their anti-power thefts drives. He urged the government to support power engineers to address these challenges and also called for strict action to curb the support some higher-ups were extending to consumers involved in power theft, which further exacerbated the issue. “Cheema assured the association of the government’s full cooperation in addressing these concerns, promising that the government would take necessary steps to support and resolve the issues faced by power engineers,” said Dhiman.
