From Our Special Correspondent
Daijiworld Media Network - Bangalore
Bangalore, Sep 18: In a bid to check and eliminate all illegal power connections in Karnataka, the State Government has ordered a survey of all types of power consumers to check illegal power connections.
Speaking to reporters, Karnataka’s Energy Minister D K Shivakumar said the State Government had decided to conduct the survey as many consumers, especially IP set owners have taken illegal power connection causing heavy loss to Energy Department.
Of the total power generated in the state, he said 37 per cent of power is consumed by IP sets, 22 per cent by industry, 13 per cent by commercial establishments, 5 per cent by water supply and 1 per cet by streetlighting.
The maximum number of illegal connections are in Belgaum district, which has around 2.25 lakh IP sets of the total 22 lakh sets across the State.
In Mandya and some other districts, many villagers have stopped paying electricity bills for the last 20-30 years due to influence of RaithaSangarshaSamithis.
The villagers are ready to pay bills if the government supply them uninterrupted power supply like Bangalore City, he said.
A meeting of legislators of Mandya district has been convened on October 5 in Mandya to discuss the issue of non-payment of power dues.
A final decision regarding the collection of dues will be taken in that meeting, he said.
Shivakumar said farmers of Belgaum districts have formed societies, to which energy department is supplying power at Rs 5.50 paise per unit.
But a number of individual farmers have taken illegal power connection to their IP sets causing heavy loss to government.
Instruction has been given to officials concerned to disconnect power supply to all kinds of consumers like domestic, commercial, industry and IP sets immediately and launch cases against them.
The government has offered four solutions to IP set owners for regularisation and it is for them to them to opt any one of them to avoid disconnection of power.
Regularisation of each IP set will cost Rs 1.5 lakh for the government and there are around 8 lakh illegal IP sets. "Let them pay Rs 10,000 along with application to avoid disconnection,” he added.