Street lights of municipal corporation, municipal council and GP
Aurangabad, May 15:
It has come to light that the municipal corporations, municipal councils and Gram Panchayats in Marathwada are stealing electricity from the MSEDCL for street lights. Starting a campaign, the MSEDCL has removed 25,000 unauthorized street lights in the last three and a half months in Marathwada.
The Maharashtra State Electricity Distribution Company Ltd (MSEDCL) has started a campaign to remove unauthorized street lights in rural and urban areas of Aurangabad, Latur and Nanded from January 17, 2022. The company had warned all concerned to remove all street lights themselves by informing them in a letter, otherwise action would be taken against these organizations as per the Electricity Act. This matter was also brought to the notice of all the district collectors and chief executive officers in Marathwada. After that, MSEDCL started removing unauthorized street lights.
Why a separate streetlight phase
MSEDCL supplies electricity to street lights in urban and rural areas. A separate streetlight phase is used to turn these lights on and off. However, in many places, street lights were installed by the concerned local bodies without the availability of separate phases.
High mast also without meter
Many street lights are on for 24 hours as they are not connected to separate phases. This leads to wastage of electricity and huge financial loss to MSEDCL. Also in some places high mast lights have been found to be on without a meter.
Campaign will continue
In all, 25,000 unauthorized street lights have been removed in Marathwada since January and will continue for next few months. Relevant organizations should avoid wastage of electricity and loss of national property due to unauthorized street lights, said Dr Mangesh Gondavale, joint managing director, MSEDCL