Maharashtra Electricity Board To Launch Investigation After Over 40,000 Metres In Aurangabad Show Zero Consumption

The Maharashtra State Electricity Distribution Company Limited (MSEDCL) is scanning 2.25 lakh meters in Aurangabad zone for shockingly low consumption, with 40,228 meters have zero consumption, reports ET Energy World.

The consumption of the remaining 1,85,539 is in the range of 0 to 30 units, an anomaly that will be inspected by MSEDCL. Its Aurangabad zone chief engineer Suresh Ganeshkar said on Wednesday (2 January) that a special inspection drive had been ordered to look into it.

The door to door visits is aimed to expose any malpractices. Ganeshkar said that a sizeable chunk of the meters in some areas are known for their power theft. He said that legal action would be taken against the wrongdoers.

With 50 units of consumption being the norm for even a small family, anyone under 30 units will be under scanner.

He, however, adds that there might be some genuine cases where the actual consumption might be less, or where the power connection might have been cut. And that those will be ruled out.

The Aurangabad, which has 11.5 lakh consumers has been accorded the top priority, with the drive expected to be done within a week.

MSEDCL has prepared two different databases, that contains consumers having zero consumption and those with consumption in the range of 1 unit to 30 unit, respectively.