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[aryan]

LUCKNOW: Uttar Pradesh is all set to have its first police station exclusively to check power theft. The station would come up in Agra — one of

the big power pilferage cities — where electricity distribution would soon be handed over to Torrent Power, under the input-based franchisee system.

Chairman-cum-managing director, UP Power Corporation Limited (UPPCL), Navneet Sehgal, said: "In the initial stages we would be nominating any one of the police stations in the city where cases of power theft would be taken up. A fully dedicated police station would come up when the need arises."

He said the move is part of the agreement with Torrent, which is likely to be handed over power distribution system in the Taj city by the end of this month. "It would be for assisting the company officials dealing with the cases of power theft," the CMD said.

UPPCL sources said the officials were looking for a police post with a substantially large infrastructure and an adequate man power — at least three sub-inspectors and a dozen constables.

"The police station would be under government control. The police would continue to function as it is, just that one of the police stations would be taking up cases of power thefts only and solving them on a priority basis," Sehgal said.

The decision comes in the wake of heavy losses that the corporation has been facing because of rampant power theft. According to an estimate, the distribution losses in the state, mainly due to power theft, are to the tune of almost 40%.

The corporation is likely to give a final shape to the scheme by September 28 when Torrent would hand over its 'performance guarantee' with the UPPCL.