Power piracy : CEB collects Rs 213 m as fines

Ridma DISSANAYAKE

The Ceylon Electricity Board (CEB) Special Investigation Unit officials collected Rs 213 million as fines imposed on power pirates during operations carried out throughout the island last year.

This amount was made up of Rs 38.1 million as court fines and Rs 173.8 million as outstanding dues, totaling Rs 211.9 million.

The number of power pirates reported last year has seen a 50 percent drop compared to 2011. Over 8,550 incidents of power piracy were reported during 2011 and it dropped to 3,569 last year. Nine hundred and sixty six among them were reported in the first quarter of last year and it dropped to 722 in the last quarter, CEB sources said.

The raids were conducted by the CEB Special Investigations Unit.

Power and Energy Minister Patali Champika Ranawaka said a colossal amount of income is deprived to the CEB due to the theft of power and other electricity related malpractices.

All measures are in place to disconnect illegal power lines from next month. Those nabbed twice for power piracy will not be given electricity connections, he said.

The Special Investigations Unit was established and strengthened to conduct raids to reduce both external and internal malpractices. The Power and Energy Ministry implemented a number of power conservation programmes including Today for Tomorrow ( Heta Wenuwen Ada ).

The Power and Energy Ministry called for public assistance to nab power pirates.

The ministry said the public can inform about power pirates on 011-2422259.