Business community of Rawalpindi and Islamabad has convened an emergency meeting on Thursday to evolve a joint strategy against the sudden increase in electricity bills, it was learnt. The domestic power consumers have been charged over Rs 5 per unit on consuming up to 700 units and Rs 10 per unit on above 700 units in the recent electricity bills they have received for the month of September.
Similarly, power tariff has also been substantially raised for commercial and industrial consumers. Sources told Business Recorder that there was a panic like situation among the business community over such a steep rise in power tariff, see a blow to already crippled business.
Even residential consumers of the federal capital are shocked over the sudden jump in tariff. Some of them were of the view that wrong bills have been issued to them. However, they were unaware of the fact that the power tariff has been already raised by Nepra, which has been implemented through a notification. Now the electricity consumed by domestic consumers have to pay increased bills of September to be paid in October 2008.
Some of the residential consumers opined that if they have to pay extraordinary amount of bills in load shedding of 10-12 hours daily then what would be the position after elimination of load shedding. Other power consumers were surprised that how they can receive bills of exact consumption of 1000 units in September 2008.
When contacted, Vice President Islamabad Chamber of Commerce and Industry (ICCI) Abdul Ghaffar Chaudahry confirmed about the meeting, saying that increase in power tariff was unjustified with such a long hours of load shedding.
Meanwhile, the government has abolished different tariff slabs on both commercial and domestic users and bills for the month of September were issued with new charges. An official of Islamabad Electricity Supply Company (IESCO) said that the power tariff has been increased by the competent body ie National Electric Power Regulatory Authority (Nepra). However, the IESCO could not itself increase tariff. The decision to raise power tariff was taken unilaterally by the Nepra.
The IESCO has not proposed such an exceptional increase in power tariff to the Nepra. The IESCO has once again approached to the regulatory body for reduction in current power tariff rates. The officials said that they are here to guide the general public on their billing related issues and ready to clarify the queries raised by the business community as well as domestic consumers, they added.
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