According to the distribution center chief, Binod Chaudhary, the 315 KVA transformer was removed from Devapur Teta VDC with the help of security personnel after those involved in power theft beat up NEA personnel. NEA stated that its team who had visited the VDC to monitor power theft was beaten up by locals on May 5.
As the NEA team removed the transformer, a team of around 300 security personnel from Nepal Police and Armed Police Force provided them security.
Earlier, the transformer had been installed in the VDC under political pressure allegedly without coordination with the NEA.
“We had repeatedly warned the locals not to pilfer electricity. On May 5, when our team accompanied by a small team of security personnel visited the VDC, they were attacked by the locals,” he said.
He said since most of VDC was involved in stealing electricity, the security personnel could not make arrests, and the NEA had no option but to remove the transformer altogether, he added.
The locals claimed that following the breakdown of a previous transformer, the villagers and local politicians had contributed Rs 600,000 to purchase the new transformer, which was removed by the NEA.
Meanwhile, Chief District Officer (CDO) Krishna Dhungana suggested to locals to subscribe to NEA and use electricity legally.
CDO Dhungana said his office could mediate between the NEA and the locals if the latter agreed to stop using electricity illegally.
