Lucknow, Sept. 1 -- The existence of thousands of unauthorised electricity connections in the Hindon river floodplain areas under Ghaziabad and Gautam Buddh Nagar has brought a larger policy dilemma for Uttar Pradesh into sharp focus: whether to continue denying power connections to illegal settlements or provide regulated power supply to people who have continued to live there despite a strict construction ban.

The issue was flagged before chief minister Yogi Adityanath during a high-level meeting last week, with Chhijarsi village, which has illegal power connections in Gautam Buddh Nagar emerging as a particular concern.

The review pointed to unauthorised connections used by residents in the villages within the declared floodplain are...