Prayagraj:, May 4 -- The power department will soon begin an anti-pilferage drive across all seven divisions of the city due to a rise in electricity theft during the hot and humid summer season, officials said.According to Rajesh Kumar, chief engineer of Uttar Pradesh Power Corporation Limited (UPPCL), electricity use increases sharply in summer because of heavy use of cooling appliances such as air conditioners, coolers and fans. However, officials have found a clear gap between monthly electricity billing and the actual power load recorded at transformers in many areas. This difference suggests widespread power theft. The chief engineer said that eight teams have been formed in each of the seven divisions. These teams include technical staff from the meter division and linemen. They will carry out inspections in areas where there is a large difference between billed and actual electricity use to detect theft. He added that during April, around 15 to 20 cases of electricity theft were detected daily across the city. Earlier, only 5 to 7 cases were reported each day. In such cases, officials either recover the penalty amount on the spot or register FIRs against the consumers involved.In a related incident, a power department team was allegedly attacked in Kalindipuram under Dhoomanganj police station area. The team had gone to install a smart meter at a builder's house where power theft was detected. Following the incident, an FIR was lodged by the sub-divisional officer and a junior engineer of the Kasari Masari substation.Meanwhile, to control power theft in crowded areas, the department has completed the installation of Aerial Bunched Conductors (ABC), which are overhead covered wires. These have been installed in parts of Karelabagh, Bamrauli and Rambagh to prevent illegal connections....