The Minister for Power had first assured us with great confidence that there would be no load shedding after December 09. But instead of that, load shedding has increased by six to eight hours a day. Now he informs us that load shedding will continue until June 2010.
So was the Hon. Minister deliberately misinforming the citizens because his back was against the wall or was he simply misinformed by his 'advisors', who seem to have no clue of what they are talking about? And can we accept his word this time, that there will be no load shedding by the end of June 2010?
And instead of apologizing to the citizens for not telling them the truth, the government has once again announced an increase of 13.6% in electricity charges by 1st January 2010. This further escalation of tariff will be the last straw on the already ailing industry, small traders and the consumers and is bound to break their backs.
Even the low income consumers have not been spared and will have to bear a uniform power rate increase by Nepra, which may increase to 40% over the year, as the furnace oil prices are increasing and the full burden will have to be passed onto the consumers as per the IMF agreements.
Attempts have been made by the consumers to stop the electricity tariff increase, by participating in the Nepra hearing last October and by filing a petition in the Sindh High Court against the illegal and unlawful increase in the tariffs.
The petition requests the SHC to issue a Stay Order and prevent Nepra and KESC from increasing the power tariffs until the court takes up the hearing of the case and gives its judgement. Despite assurances and promises, NEPRA has failed to take any effective action to protect the interests of the consumers and the hearings in the SHC are yet to take place.
And adding salt to our wounds, the KESC management, has the audacity to imply that Karachiites are stealing electricity, through a notice in the electric bills. As such, the hapless consumers are once again left without any support and will have to bear the burden of the high cost of electricity in the coming months and accept it as a New Year gift for the consumers.
In contrast to this, the Peshawar High Court has issued a stay order against the 22% increase in power tariffs, against the writ petition filed by the NWFP government. The PHC suspended the power tariffs raise put in effect from March 1st 2008, by issuing a stay order against the tariffs.
The judges of PHC, Justice Dost Muhammed Khan and Justice Pir Liaquat Khan issued notices to Nepra, Attorney General and Advocate General to this effect. One can only hope that the Sindh High Court will take up the hearing of the petition on an urgent basis and provide the necessary relief to the consumers and save this city of lights from plunging into darkness. Happy New Year to all of you.
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