Uttar Pradesh is preparing to change how power theft inspections are carried out by adding technology to a process that has long drawn criticism. Vigilance and inspection teams conducting raids will soon wear GPS enabled body cameras, creating a permanent digital record of every enforcement visit.
Electricity theft has remained a major challenge for the state for decades with official estimates placing annual losses at nearly ₹5000 crore. These losses weaken distribution companies and push higher costs onto honest consumers. To address this, the power department has intensified enforcement in recent years including late night and door-to-door inspections. However, these drives have also led to allegations of harassment extortion and selective action against consumers. After nearly two years of internal discussions, officials approved the use of body worn cameras as a way to bring transparency and consistency to the system.
According to officials involved in the rollout, the cameras will record inspections continuously and the footage cannot be deleted or altered on site. This is meant to create reliable evidence during disputes where inspectors allege theft and consumers claim excesses. Video records are also expected to strengthen prosecution in courts where cases often weaken due to lack of clear proof. At the same time, the recordings could protect inspection staff who sometimes face accusations of misconduct or assault during tense raids by providing full context instead of relying only on statements.
The devices also include GPS features that allow senior officers to track the location of teams in real time and see how long inspections last. Live monitoring from control rooms is expected to reduce chances of unofficial settlements and improve accountability. Consumer groups have long alleged that smaller users face stricter checks while larger defaulters escape scrutiny. Officials say location data and video trails will make selective enforcement harder. State electricity consumer bodies have welcomed the move saying “greater transparency can deter corruption and also prevent false complaints against vigilance teams.”
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