Prime Minister Pushpa Kamal Dahal has directed the Ministry of Energy and bodies concerned to work in such a way so that qualitative success could be achieved in the electricity-leakage control campaign.

Power leakage is one of the major problems facing the Nepal Electricity Authority (NEA). According to its data, currently power leakage across the country stands over 25 per cent of the total supply, which amounts to 250 megawatt of the power available in the national grid.

Addressing a joint meeting among the Chief Secretary, and secretaries of the Energy, Finance and Home Ministries on Monday, the PM said he wished to see a 10 per cent slash on power leakage within the next few months."No one found involved in power theft be allowed to walk free," he asserted.

He asked the bodies concerned to give the first priority to crack down on power theft by some big industries and reach to that level where power hooking is taking place.

The NEA ended the load-shedding in the Kathmandu valley as per the government plan, he said, pledging to clear off the way if there is any legal and policy hurdle in terms of continuing the no load-shedding campaign.

"The matter is that people should get relief and should get a ground to feel the presence of the government."

Construction of big reservoir-based projects is the focus of the government, he said, expecting better results within the time.

The problem of power outage can recur within a couple of years if an immediate step is not taken for the sustainability of the campaign.

Energy is the first need to reduce trade deficit, develop agro and trade sectors and eventually to achieve the economic progress, the PM stated.

On the occasion, he directed the Home Administration to address obstructions reported in some transmission lines and mobilise an integrated mechanism to control power- leakage.

Complaints have been received that power theft is taking place with the help of bureaucracy, the PM said, seeking an immediate action against those found guilty. He issued special directives to Chief Secretary Somlal Subedi to take measures for having cooperation among the ministries concerned to crack down on power theft.

The NEA was directed to launch public awareness campaign against power theft, to immediately provide transformers to the needy and set up electricity tariff collection counters at accessible and convenient locations. RSS