Power cut: Vigilance dept bares electricity thefts

PANAJI, Jan 30: A major racket of power thefts by hotels and commercial establishments robbing the state exchequer of crores of rupees has been unearthed in the state. Raids conducted early this week by the State’s Vigilance Department, have bared involvement of over a dozen shops and three star hotels in the coastal tourism belt of Calangute-Candolim.

The findings of the team revealed that several heavy consumption units in the tourism belt had been given power connections without meters. The racket, allegedly in connivance with the senior level engineering staff of the Electricity Department, is believed to be going on for years. And while the Power Department itself has gone bankrupt and has no money to improve its “sick” transmission and distribution system needing urgent repairs, the officers who are conniving with the private establishments in power theft rackets are becoming fabulously rich and have come to acquire huge assets.

All the hotels involved in power thefts were said to be possessingamenities like air conditioned rooms and other high power consuming gadgets.

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Inquiries reveal that the vigilance team’s findings in the tourism belt may be just the tip of an iceberg. If the inquiry is pursued, there is possibility of more shocking things to unfold since a large number of high power consuming industries in Goa are also believed to be involved in similar power theft in connivance with the departmental staff.

In a swift action, the Electricity Department has ordered disconnection of power supply to the offending hotels while the Vigilance Department has been told to file cases against the Electricity Department officials responsible for granting power connections in the coastal belt.