MULTAN-The divisional administration has decided to constitute committees in all districts of Multan division comprising representatives from district administration, police and Mepco officials to launch crackdown on power pilferers.
Commissioner Multan Bilal Ahmad Butt issued instruction on Monday for the constitution of committees and directed the concerned officials to appoint focal persons. "Different concerned departments should improve their coordination and communication so that crackdown against power thieves can be made more successful," he added. He said that power thieves were serious criminals and they deserved an indiscriminate action. He said that the loss caused by power theft had to be borne by a common man which was highly regrettable.
Speaking on the occasion, RPO Multan Muhammad Idrees directed the Mepco officers to bring complete case to the police for quick registration of FIR. He issued direction to the SHOs not commit any delay in registration of FIRs against power thieves. "But no fake FIR should be registered," he warned. He further asked Mepco officers to keep police informed on the status of cases against power thieves and immediately inform police in case of recovery or alleviation of fine from the pilferers. He declared that Mepco officials would be given full protection and quick action would be taken against power pilferers. He said that the administration would have to support police while prosecution would have to play an active role to get the thieves punished.
CEO Mepco Ch Muhammad Akram told the meeting that help was sought from meter testing lab to catch power thieves. He added that all SDOs had been given task to get registered FIRs against power pilferers and so far 1500 FIRs had been registered.
He said that the crackdown had further been stepped up against power pilferers.
Meanwhile, Mepco sources disclosed that the surveillance and monitoring teams of Mepco caught 247 power pilferers red handed from different areas of the region during the month of January. The company imposed over Rs6 million fine on the electricity thieves and so far recovered over Rs2.4 million.