Power staff's bid to escape privatisation
TNN 3 September 2009,

KANPUR: As a last ditch effort to save itself, Kesco staff is trying to remove maximum possible number of illegal connections (katiya) and thus
generate revenue much higher than the set target.

AGM, Kesco, S K Verma said, "We are extremely happy that our drive to remove katiya has entered into another month and in the month of August alone we have removed a total of 16,386 illegal connections and this has brought 3.6 MW (approximately) of load off the feeders."

"This has also added to our present consumer base and just in one month we have added 1,889 power consumers. Kesco is doing pretty well and we wish to continue in the similar manner," added Verma.

In the last three months Kesco has collected Rs 58 crore per month. The Kesco officials said that they will continue with the same trend to save their organisation.

"I do not mind accepting that all this is being done to save Kesco. Such efforts will continue so that Kesco does not go in private hands,'' said an official.

Verma added that the Kesco is yet to recover Rs 1 crore from the government departments which would otherwise had increased the total revenue amount collected so far. (Kesco is to recover Rs 25 lakh from CSA, Rs 5 lakh from district jail, Rs 13.5 lakh from Green Park, Rs 15 lakh from UHM Hospital, Rs 8 lakh from Ganga Barrage, Rs 10 lakh from KNN etc.)