PTI | | Posted by Lingamgunta Nirmitha Rao
Contractors of the Nagpur Municipal Corporation (NMC) in Maharashtra allegedly resorted to power theft while installing decorative lighting for the upcoming Civil20 India 2023 Inception Conference here and were fined by a state-owned power company, an official said on Sunday.
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The Maharashtra State Electricity Distribution Co. Ltd (MSEDCL) detected power thefts at seven locations in the city, the power company stated in a release. The contractors had sourced electricity for decorative lighting from street light poles, it was stated.
The NMC is charged a subsidised rate of ₹7.51 per unit for the street lights, while the power company charges ₹13 per unit for a temporary power connection. Hence, the contractors indulged in power thefts, the release said.
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The state-owned power company imposed a fine of ₹50,000 on the contractors for the thefts and wrote to the civic body to get authorised power connections, it said. Earlier this week, the MSEDCL initiated action at Somalwada square and Civil Lines against contractors under the Electricity Act and recovered ₹18,630 fine.
A similar action was taken at six other places in the city and ₹30,000 was collected in fines, it was stated. More than 200 delegates from India and abroad will be attending Civil20 India 2023 Inception Conference scheduled to be held in the city from March 20 to 22.
