Lucknow: In yet another indication of brazen power theft in UP, some of the smaller towns in the state have recorded revenue recovery rate of barely Rs 0.40 per unit as against the required average Rs 4.5 per unit, suggesting that only one-tenth of the consumers paid their electricity bills.

The damning reality came up after UP Power Corporation Limited (UPPCL) sought reports from various power distribution companies vis-àvis revenue recovery. The compilation of all reports, (TOI has a copy of it) shows that in June earlier this year, consumers in Mauranipur town in Jhansi district paid at an average rate (through rate) of barely Rs 0.40 per unit. Similar was the case with Konch (in Jhansi) where the average rate has turned out to be Rs 0.67 per unit.

The report shows that the menace was equally rampant in towns like Sahaswan and Tilhar where the average rate was only Rs 0.60 per unit. Even in Mainpuri, the home district of Samajwadi Party chief Mulayam Singh Yadav, the average through rate was Rs 2.59 per unit. Data show that it increased to Rs 3.57 per unit in September but again dropped to Rs 3.41 per unit.

Similarly, Kannauj, the parliamentary constituency of Dimple Yadav, had a through rate of only Rs 0.79 per unit in June. Here too, the recovery rate increased to Rs 2.69 per unit in September but it again came down to Rs 2.22 per unit in October.

A couple of town areas within Lucknow zone too registered a very low through rate indicating high power pilferage. Biswan (in Sitapur district), for instance, had a through rate of only Rs 1.85 per unit. Khairabad was even worse with consum ers here paying at an average of Rs 0.90 per unit.

In all, there are 49 such towns in the state where the through rate is much lower than what is desired.

When contacted, UPPCL managing director, AP Mishra said that the respective engineers in the districts have been summoned and asked to give an explanation.“If the situation does not improve by the end of this year, they would be given adverse entries in their annual confidential reports (ACRs),“ he told TOI.

At the same time, there are towns where the through rate is much better. For instance, Tundla in Firozabad district, in October registered a through rate of Rs 10.81 per unit. This was a quantum jump since June when consumers paid at an average rate of Rs 3.64 per unit.

The hike, going beyond Rs 4.5 per unit, was essentially because of high revenue recovery from local industries and commercial establishments. Likewise, the Sahabad town in Rampur district also had through rate of Rs 1.75 per unit, which increased to Rs 5.75 per unit in October.

