10 years of living in Kanpur has make me adaptable to long power cuts. I had also felt the summers heat without electricity for 3 continuous days with the grace of KESCO 's lethargy for repairing a transformer. Forgetting to mention the regular load off for 4 to 6 hours per day in Kanpur will be sin of hiding the truth. BUT, I give thanks to God due to hyper optimistic nature, that I don't live in Chamanganj or Bekanganj where electricity may not come for 1 week. Also I will not tell faltu story of people replacing transformer oil with water !!!
Power Theft:
Do anyone know about the term Katiya (read: illegal power connection).Check image below for clear depiction and all electrical engineers can apply Kirchoff's law in practical condition.
Situation had come to such a pass that whenever attempts have been made by the powermen to detect ‘katiya’ connections they have been confronted by a hostile reception by the locals. FORGET the line losses through Katiya, Defaulters have found a better way of stealing electricity: Convince someone in KESCO for some amount of monthly private charges and the problem of electricity is solved forever.For more details, see the early year career growth of Akshay Kumar in
Tashan movie .
I will not lament over degraded situation of electricity in Kanpur but will simply give you current situation.The long-awaited privatisation of power distribution in the city is now resolved by a private company of Maharastra,Torrent. I hope the removal of from the electric poles will be first priority of private company.What Kanpur will look after that, I hope it will be pretty watchable.
Torrent Power Company has been issued a Letter power of Intent (LoI) by Uttar Pradesh Power Corporation for appointment as Distribution Franchisee for distribution of power in urban areas of Kanpur for a period of 20 years. According to the Memoranda of Understanding (MoU), Kesco will work under an input-based franchisee model system and hand over the distribution of electricity, realisation of bills, maintenance and development of the infrastructure and other related works to Torrent Power for a period of 20 years. The Torrent Power expects full operations to commence by August this year.
Someone has discovered loophole of this distribution by Torrent system pointing towards corruption but then KESCO employees has earned more money through illegal ways than any private company could think of in dreams. Following paragraph is taken for your views----
"
Distribution franchisee shall prove to be the best way to control the theft of electricity and to provide quality service and to put an end to political interference but there should be some control and guide lines should be issued by the Central Power Ministry regarding RFP and the conditions to be put in Agreement otherwise the officers who are awarding the contracts will ruin the state utilities for their personal gains and the consumer will be further burdened. The case in which Kanpur has been awarded to Torrent Power on a mere paltry amount of Rs 2.17 per unit for next 20 years against billable rate of Rs. 3.80per unit. It means that we will get only 57% in Kanpur. Therefore we will get the amount equal to the ATC losses of 43% in city for the next 20 years.The losses will be covered by increasing the tariff and then public will be made poorer by these manipulations. Now 4 lac consumers are making theft of 100 rs each and after franchisee is appointed he will be richer and richer and put his money in foreign banks and the public and the state will be poorer. The tender for Kanpur which has been given to Torrent Power where as the rates of Jamshedpur Utilities & Services Company (JUSCO), a Tata Group firm were higher by Rs 4000 crores and the discounted rates were also higher is the matter of higher level enquiry."(
Source)
