Lesco detects 294 power pilferers in anti-theft campaign

LAHORE : The Lahore Electric Supply Company (LESCO) has detected a total of 294 connections from where the customers were pilfering electricity in all its circles of five districts (Lahore, Sheikhupura, Nankana Sahib, Kasur and Okara) on the 98th day of grand anti-power theft campaign.

The Lesco spokesman told media here Saturday that the company has also submitted FIR applications against 294 electricity thieves, out of which 155 FIRs have been registered in respective police stations, while 11 accused have been arrested.

Grand anti-power theft operations against electricity thieves are being conducted on the directives of the Federal Power Division and the Lesco Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Engineer Shahid Haider is supervising these operations.

The Lesco chief vowed that the operations would continue without discrimination until the complete end of electricity theft.

The electricity pilferers as well as the Lesco officers and employees who facilitate them are also being brought to justice.

On the 98th consecutive day of the anti-power theft campaign, the spokesman added, large commercial consumers were also found involved in electricity theft and all of them were also disconnected.

Among the seized connections were 08 commercial, 02 agricultural, 01 commercial and 283 domestic.

All the power pilferers were charged with a total of 251,537 units as detection bill amounting to Rs10.284 million.

Apprising the media about some major power pilferers, he explained that Lesco charged 2,650 detection units worth Rs150,000 to an electricity pilferer in Johar Town; 2,400 detection units of Rs149,500 to another customer stealing electricity in Burj Atari area; 3,500 detection units worth Rs133,000 to a power thief in Shahdara Town; and Rs125,254 detection bill to a power thief in Ferozwala area.

During the 98 days of grand anti-theft campaign, the spokesman mentioned, the Lesco detected pilferage on 36,087 power connections and submitted 35,696 FIR applications against electricity thieves in the relevant police stations out of which 34,322 FIRs have been registered, while 15,967 accused have so far been arrested by the police.

The Lesco has so far charged a total of 57,355,838 detection units worth Rs2,241,833,267 to all the power pilferers.