Netrakona, Dec 17 (V7N) — Illegal electricity connections have become widespread across several neighborhoods in Netrakona, where power lines are being unlawfully drawn from government electric poles to illuminate local badminton courts under the guise of recreational play.
In many areas, temporary lines are connected directly from public utility poles without any electricity meters. These connections are often installed by untrained children and teenagers, leaving exposed and unprotected wiring that poses serious safety risks. Similar unsafe setups in other parts of the country have already resulted in injuries and fatalities caused by electrocution while playing badminton.
Such illegal connections have been observed in multiple neighborhoods of Netrakona district town, including Nagra, Satpai, and Kurpar, among others.
Local residents have expressed strong resentment over the situation, stating that while consumers already face severe difficulties due to mismanagement within the power distribution system, the emergence of illegal connections at badminton grounds has added further burden. According to residents, each of these connections consumes an amount of electricity comparable to that used by several households combined. As a result, legitimate consumers are forced to bear additional load charges and inflated electricity bills almost every month.
They allege that the load from these illegal connections ultimately falls on registered consumers, while there appears to be little to no monitoring by the electricity authorities. Some residents further claim that such connections are being facilitated through collusion involving certain officials and employees of the power distribution office. They have demanded immediate corrective measures and strict enforcement.
When contacted regarding the matter, Netrakona Power Development Board (PDB) Executive Engineer Salah Uddin said on Wednesday, December 17, around 1:00 pm, that the issue would be investigated and appropriate action would be taken.
According to official data, the Netrakona PDB currently serves 54,910 residential consumers, 5,233 commercial consumers, 710 small industrial units, and 27 medium-sized industrial units within its jurisdiction.
Residents have called for urgent intervention to prevent potential accidents, ensure public safety, and protect lawful consumers from the financial consequences of unchecked electricity theft.
Comment: