Chandigarh: Taking serious note of the outstanding penalty amount pending against electricity consumers in Haryana, Director General of Police, Haryana State Enforcement Bureau, Navdeep Singh Virk, has directed all Station House Officers (SHOs) to conduct a thorough scrutiny of police station records and case diaries and immediately prepare a list of all electricity theft cases where penalties of one lakh rupees or more remain unpaid.
The DGP has instructed all SHOs to personally monitor the recovery process and initiate immediate action to realise the pending penalties. He has also ordered the launch of a 45-day special campaign aimed at recovering the 56 crore rupees in outstanding penalty revenue pending across the state.
He further directed that a weekly progress report, along with details of the penalty amount recovered, must be submitted every Monday to the Office of the Superintendent of Police, Enforcement Headquarters, Shakti Bhawan.
The Haryana State Enforcement Bureau operates round the clock through its 22 police stations across the state. Its core responsibilities include curbing electricity theft, preventing water theft, checking illegal mining, controlling the sale of illicit liquor, and monitoring the development of unauthorised colonies.
The Bureau maintains that electricity theft is a social offence. Since electricity generation depends primarily on natural resources such as water and coal, power theft amounts to the misuse of finite natural resources. Controlling electricity theft, therefore, is not only a law enforcement priority but also part of the Bureau’s broader social responsibility.
At a time of growing concerns over climate change, preventing power theft and promoting energy conservation are essential to protecting the environment. In line with this objective, the Haryana State Enforcement Bureau regularly conducts public awareness campaigns under the guidance of DGP Navdeep Singh Virk to encourage responsible energy use and strengthen public participation in preventing electricity theft.
