KARACHI – The Karachi Electric Supply Company in line with its stringent anti-theft drive successfully removed more than 2,000 illegal connections of electricity in an operation conducted in Saddam Chowk, Baldia Town. The area consumers were not only indulged in illegal usage of electricity, but were also in default to the tune of Rs13.9 million. The billing recovery ratio in the area was also merely 50 per cent. Large lengths of ‘kunda wires’ were also confiscated from the area, including a number of bamboo and iron poles used in the unauthorised connections were also confiscated. The KESC had earlier distributed thousands of new connections forms in this area, encouraging the illegal power consumers to register themselves with KESC as ‘legal consumers’. Unfortunately, despite repeated drives for enrollment, to date only 700 applications for meter connections were received, amongst the thousands of users. Several warnings were issued to the users of illegal connection after surveys were conducted in the area having a web of illegal hook connections. However, operations were conducted after the residents showed no response. The area residents of Saddam Chowk Baldia Town had been latching on their illegal connections onto KESC’s over head Low Tension main service lines. This illegal action by the power users was not only, highly dangerous from the safety & maintenance point of view for KESC, but also created increased risk of electrocution of the unsuspecting pedestrians. KESC has a continuously ongoing anti-theft drive, to curtail illegal usage of electricity and the utility has asked the saner elements of society to support the utility’s efforts to end the menace of electricity theft which is of the major hindrances in the smooth electricity supply to genuine and honest consumers.