Electrical equipment, materials: KP Assembly body for allowing direct purchase

Special Committee of the Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa Assembly on Peshawar Electricity Supply Company (PESCO) called for allowing the members of the provincial assembly for direct purchase of electricity equipment like power transformers, poles and wire themselves to guarantee timely completion of electrification schemes and prevent the creation of law-and-order problem.
The committee also called for limiting the mandate of Water and Power Development Authority (WAPDA) to only supervision of the electrification related schemes and carrying of the work through actual constructors. The special committee was constituted in response to a point of order of Saqibullah Khan Chamkani MPA. The MPA from the district Peshawar on January 28, 2011, diverted the attention of the house towards an increase of Rs 5.5 million in the installation of separate power line for Institute of Kidney Diseases Centre, Hayatabad, and provision of electricity to factory of another person from the same transmission line.
The House constituted a special committee for investigating the matter and invited the officials concerned for explanation. The committee headed by the Deputy Speaker, Khushdil Khan Advocate comprised of Senior Minister, Rahimdad Khan, Abdul Akbar Khan, Israrullah Khan Gandapore, Shah Hussein and Ateef-ur-Rehman. The terms of references of the committee were the installation of separate power transmission line/feeder by PESCO for the Institute of Kidney Diseases, Hayatabad, and demands for funds more than the estimated cost from the public sector institution and more increase within a period of one year. Pinpointing of corrupt practices and abuse of powers by the officers concerned and expenditure on the installation of power transformers and poles for themselves and difference in the amount demanded from public representatives for the same.
According to the report prepared by the committee, but could not be presented in the house as the legislator, who had raised the issue on the floor of the House raised objection that he was not invited to any of the three convened meetings of the committee. The officers concerned will now be once again called to the meetings.
According to the report prepared by the committee, Chief Executive, Hayatabad Medical Complex (HMC), Aftab Durrani told the committee that due to overloading the hospital and for minimising the problems of patients they were required second transmission line. Therefore, separate transmission line for Kidney Centre was reviewed and the PESCO prepared feasibility of Rs 11.376 million for the scheme, but the provincial government approved an amount of Rs 16.636 million.
The Chief Executive, PESCO, Mohammad Wali also told the committee that the estimated cost of the scheme was Rs 11.376 million and the management of the centre was formally informed in this regard. However, he said that in a letter they had received from HMC they were told that the provincial government has approved Rs 16.636 million. After that he said PESCO issued demand notice. He said that work on the scheme was not started when they received a letter from Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) regarding none starting of work on the line concerned.
The FIA, he said was suspicious that a factory in Hayatabad Industrial Estate will be supplied electricity from the same feeder and the line is being laid for that purpose. But, he said that PESCO has no short-cut way out and rejected the allegation of FIA that the company is benefiting third party through it. He said neither they are required more amount nor despite the passage of one year have made any demand. The company is making efforts for the completion of the scheme before the fall of summer to insure smooth power supply to both industrial and domestic consumers. Deputy Director, FIA, Zaibullah Khan told the committee that they have received a complaint that the exorbitant estimates have been prepared for the installation of separate power supply transmission line for the Institute of Kidney Diseases and it is in fact aimed to benefit someone else, but that doubt has been removed and for the removal of the reservations they consulted a technical person. The FIA, he said also considered laying underground transmission line, but it was also causing increase in the cost of the scheme. PESCO prepared reviewed cost, which resulted in saving amount of Rs 3.942 million. Earlier, the installation of 78 poles was considered, but review the number of poles came down to 63 that resulted in the decline of the estimated cost and no element of corruption was found.