Power pirates cough up Rs. 20 mn as fines in Oct.
By Ifham Nizam
The Special Investigation Unit of the Ceylon Electricity Board, which raids homes and businesses that illegally tap power from its grid, has collected more than Rs. 20 million through such detections during the month of October.
The CEB’s investigation unit, formed with the purpose of nabbing power pirates, collected Rs. 18.5 million in fines, Rs. 2.8 million in Court fines, and Rs.1.5 million in loss recovery.
A total of 238 cases of people obtaining electricity illegally have been reported during the month of October and raids uncovered 177 incidents where electricity meters were altered and 61 where hooks had been used to obtain electricity illegally.
The Power and Energy Ministry says that it has set a target to provide 100 per cent electricity coverage to the entire country by 2012 and is in a drive to root out corruption and malpractices.
"Through these illegal methods of obtaining electricity, the CEB incurs heavy financial losses at a time when the establishment has just been resurrected from financial ruin," states a Power and Energy statement.
The Ministry is calling for public support to bring to justice the power pirates who obtain electricity unethically.
Any such complaint could be reported to telephone number 1987, the statement said.
http://www.island.lk/index.php?page_cat=article-details&page=article-details&code_title=38651
Raids by flying squads: CEB earns Rs 18.5m income from fines
The Ceylon Electricity Board (CEB) has earned an income of Rs 18.5 million as fines and compensation following raids conducted by its flying squad on errant electricity consumers during October this year.
This followed the detection of 238 incidents involving illegal manipulation of electricity meters and pirating by using hooks to the supply lines.
A CEB statement said raids on errant consumers have been accelerated following the reactivation of the flying squad on the direction of Power and Energy Minister Patali Champika Ranawaka whose objective is to meet 100 percent of the domestic demand for electricity by 2012.
The public could assist in the endeavour to round up those pirating electricity by alerting the CEB on 2422259.
http://www.dailynews.lk/2011/11/09/news25.asp
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