Mumbai, Apr 29 (PTI) Amid rising demand for power stoked by the severe heatwave, the Maharashtra State Electricity Distribution Company (MSEDCL) has removed 46,000 metal hooks used for stealing electricity and has saved nearly 500 MW of power, an official said on Friday.

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Talking to PTI, a senior official of the state-run power utility said the drive against power thefts started mid-April.

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"We have managed to remove 46,000 metal hooks, which were used to pilfer electricity from the MSEDCL's supply line. The drive started in mid-April and we have managed to save around 500 MW of electricity," he said.

In one of the cases, officials found that a man had used a 1,000-foot-long cable to pilfer electricity with the help of a metal hook, the official said.

The power that is getting saved due to the drive is being routed to consumers who pay their bills regularly, and more electricity can be saved if the crackdown continues, he said.

The MSEDCL's managing director Vijay Singhal had earlier stated that the power utility has signed purchase agreements with private players such as Adani Power and Tata Power to increase the supply in the state.

At least 15 states in the country, including neighbouring Gujarat and Rajasthan, are facing load-shedding, while Maharashtra had briefly implemented it on April 20, 21 and 22.

Though there was no load-shedding from April 14 till 20, the rising demand has prompted officials to undertake micro-management of power supply, which includes removal of metal hooks used for stealing electricity, the official said.

(The above story is verified and authored by Press Trust of India (PTI) staff. PTI, India’s premier news agency, employs more than 400 journalists and 500 stringers to cover almost every district and small town in India.. The views appearing in the above post do not reflect the opinions of LatestLY)