Board goes slow on police stations to check power theft
Mohit Khanna/Tribune News Service

Ludhiana, December 17
Though the state is undergoing major power crises and mooting innovative ideas to conserve energy, it seems that all these policies exist on papers only.

The PSEB has not set up any police station to check power thefts though the Punjab government notified six months ago the setting up of special police stations in five cities of Amritsar, Jalandhar, Patiala, Bathinda and Ludhiana.

The Power Department wants that these police stations should function under the control of the PSEB that can take police personnel on deputation from the state government.

Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal had directed the PSEB chairman to prepare a proposal for setting up these special police stations on the pattern of Gujarat. Former DGP of PSEB (vigilance) Lalit Bhatia said the proposal was mooted during the Amarinder regime and the Finance Department had then approved it.

Sources said the Punjab and Haryana High Court had agreed to notify one court of the additional district and sessions judge as special court for the trial of power theft cases in the fast-track mode in these five cities.

All top officials of the department were reluctant to comment on this issue.