Chandigarh, Jul 9 (UNI) In order to curb theft and unauthorised use of electricity, the Uttar Haryana Bijli Vitran Nigam (UHBVN) has decided to increase the frequency of checking and revise the norms for site checking.

Stating this here today, a Nigam spokesman said the seasonal units like ice factories, ice candy cold storage units, cotton ginning mills and rice shellers would be checked once every three months.

Petrol pumps, brick kilns, anaj mandi, bus stand and cinema halls would be checked once a year.

Also, the vigilance wing of the Nigam would check any category of consumers in order to verify any information or for any reason to check any malpractice at any of these sites.

He said the theft of electricity had been made cognisable and non-bailable offence. The police had been empowered to investigate the offences under the new provisions of the Electricity Act.

Also, the courts had also been authorised to take the cognisance of the offence on the report of a police officer under the provisions of Criminal Procedure Code, 1973. The special courts established under this Act were also competent to take cognisance of an offence without any trial.

UNI