KARACHI: The K-Electric on Tuesday claimed to have conducted as many as 762 anti-power theft drives across the city in the first two weeks of August and removed 5,384 illegal connections.
The kunda-removal drives were carried out in different parts of the city, including Surjani, New Karachi, Gulistan-e-Johar, Orangi, Liaquatabad, Nazimabad, Bin Qasim and Malir. In the process, wires weighing over 5,700 kg were removed that were illegally connected to KE’s infrastructure and were being used to steal electricity worth millions.
While commenting on the issue, KE’s Director for Communications Imran Rana said, “We continue to conduct these anti-kunda drives everyday and remove thousands of illegal connections, but unfortunately these are restored within a few hours of removal. However, we would like to assure that we would stop at nothing to crack down against these culprits. It is to make it loud and clear that K-Electric is dealing such lawbreakers with an iron hand, and any act of stealing electricity can lead to the penalty of PKR 10 million and imprisonment of up to 3 years.”
Turning to the issue of safety, he said: “Power infrastructure carries dangerously high voltage electricity and is installed by trained personnel in compliance with rigorous safety parameters. Any tampering with the network by an unauthorised person can lead to serious consequences, including fatalities. Kundas also weigh down and damage electrical utility wires, which make them prone to short-circuiting, fire-eruption, and faults in power supply system that cause inconvenience to the consumers.”
“Keeping in view the hazard and damage these illegal connections may cause, citizens are requested to support the utility in actions against them (thieves) and report power theft,” added Mr Rana.
Copyright Business Recorder, 2022
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