As the summer arrives, the ratio of stealing electricity substantially increases. To stay cool during hot weather, people use air conditioners in their homes or at workplaces. These ACs though a boon in the hot weather display an uncommon increase in electricity bills. In addition, electrical equipment used in houses also boosts electricity consumption. To avoid the exorbitant bill, many a people resort to illegal ways of acquiring electricity by means of hook connections (kundas).
Kunda culture is an easy way out for the power thieves but we-the honest consumers have to bear the brunt of their maligning act in the form of prolong load-shed or abrupt power outage.
In my opinion, we as a nation have become so stubborn in our ways that leniency and warnings have no effect on us. There is dire need of taking stringent action against power thieves. People who use hook connections need to be punished and it’s the only solution by which power theft can be controlled and eliminated from the society.
Considering the gravity of this issue, K-Electric was one of the first power utilities who initiated the anti-theft campaign ‘Operation Burq’ last year. According to the media reports, many culprits were apprehended and several illegal connections had been removed during this operation. It was a welcoming change for the legitimate consumers.
Following last year, this year once again, the power entity has buckled up against power thieves while expediting its operation around the city prior to summer. In the light of Operation Burq many other state-run power utilities have also initiated anti-theft campaigns against offenders. The good thing is that the government has also amended the electricity act this year and declared power theft as non-bailable offence.
With all these developments, I am hopeful that we might see an end to power theft across the country in years to come.
SHAMAILA ABDULLAH
Karachi