Rs. 9.3 m as fines in four days

Ridma DISSANAYAKE

The Ceylon Electricity Board (CEB) Special Investigation Unit officials collected around Rs. 9.3 million as fines from illegal power tappers during successful operations carried out throughout the Jaffna district during the last four days in January.

Rs.1.5 million was court fines and Rs.7.7 million was compensation totaling Rs. 9.2 million.

Around 155 illegal incidents have been reported and 74 out of them were manipulations of electricity metres. Other incidents were illegal connections such as getting electricity using hooks.

All these raids are conducted by the CEB Special Investigation Unit under the instructions of Power and Energy Minister Patali Champika Ranawaka. This Special Investigation Unit had been established and strengthened to conduct raids to reduce both external and internal malpractices. The CEB had earned nearly Rs. 50 million in the last quarter of 2011 as fines from illegal power tappers as well.

According to Minister Ranawaka, a large income is denied to the CEB due to thefts of power and many other electricity related offences.

All measures are in place to disconnect all illegal power lines from next month and they will not be allowed to have their power connections again, he said.

The Power and Energy Ministry called for public help to nab fraudsters who attempt to obtain electricity illegally. The ministry urged the public to report any such activity on 011-2422259.