LUCKNOW, Feb. 21 -- After a spate of transformer copper thefts, the LESA has decided to tighten security by installing surveillance cameras and increasing night patrols at vulnerable substations. At a meeting held at the MVVNL office on Friday, LESA chief engineers resolved to step up surveillance around transformers, deploy additional night patrol staff and encourage citizens to report suspicious activity. The use of drones is also being considered, a chief engineer said. The move follows four thefts in the past three months, the latest reported on February 18 near the Shivpuri power house. LESA manages about 52,000 transformers under nearly 150 substations, but insiders said record-keeping is weak, with no proper serial numbering or updated maintenance logs. There is also no clear documentation of which transformers are operational or when they were last serviced, leaving infrastructure vulnerable to theft and breakdowns. Routine checks of transformer oil levels are reportedly irregular. All-India Power Engineers Federation president Shailendra Dubey called for corrective measures beyond security upgrades."Outages and thefts highlight deeper issues of mismanagement and lack of transparency," he said. MVVNL MD Riya Kejriwal directed chief engineers to ensure transformers remain under vigil. HTC...