National Assembly Standing Committee on Water and Power has constituted a task force comprising City Nazim Naimatullah Khan, MNA Dr Farooq Sattar, Secretary Local Government, and representatives of KESC to look into the affairs of the Corporation and redress public complaints against it.
The standing committee, led by Saleem Jan Mazari, also directed the power utility to depute its staff at 'Madadgar 15' offices to effectively respond to public complaints against frequent load-shedding in the city.
Giving its ruling after having a detailed deliberation on the affairs of KESC from its different stakeholders, the chairman of standing committee observed that the huge quantum of illegal electricity connections and Kunda (hook) system suggested that such large activity could not be undertaken without the connivance of KESC staff. As such, he directed that any FIR registered against illegal/kunda connection would also nominate the name of KESC in charge of the respective area for being involved in power pilferage.
He directed the task force to resolve billing disputes between the corporation and government offices and once the outstanding amount disputes were settled the billing to these government organisations would start from zero.
The committee did not consider correct the provision of electricity to Karachi Water and Sewerage Board at commercial rates and sought agriculture rates for the water utility.
The committee expressed its grave concern over high T&D losses of the corporation and suggested that since all power supply companies were autonomous they should induct at least one elected representative in their board of directors from the respective localities.
Earlier, during the question/answer session, MNA Farooq Sattar raised the question why Karachiites were being meted out discriminatory treatment pertaining to electricity tariff and why meters were being taken out of the premises only in Karachi. In this respect, he demanded a uniform policy for the whole country regarding electricity tariff and meter tampering. He also asked why the notification for electricity tariff reduction had not been issued despite relief having been announced in the budget.
Responding to his queries, MD, KESC, Brigadier Tariq Saddozai explained that KESC had already filed its petition against 10 paisa reduction in the tariff for domestic and 25-58 paisa reduction for industrialist and commercial consumers with Nepra which would shortly issue the notification in this regard. About intensified anti-power theft operation in Karachi he said that the main reason for this was high ratio of T&D losses in the city which forced the utility to undertake such practices here.
Chief Secretary Aslam Sanjrani strongly criticised the corporation for the extreme steps it took for recovery, specially against government offices. He gave the example of Water Board where the KESC had disconnected power supply for non-payment of bills. He said if such a treatment was being meted out with the government departments which injected a heavy amount to the corporation to keep it alive, then what a common man should expect from it. On this, the MD KESC asked if the corporation did not take such actions then from where it would generate its revenue.
City Nazim Naimatullah Khan also sided with Farooq Sattar and deplored the power utility for alleging Karachiites as power thieves. He asserted that the people of Karachi are law abiding who voluntarily comply with their national obligations and pay taxes. He contended that the people who contributed about 70 percent of total revenue to the national exchequer were being declared as thieves which was not justified.
Sindh Chief Minister Arbab Ghulam Rahim also conceded that public complaints against the corporation were genuine which should immediately be redressed. He pointed out that interrupted power supply was a major cause of creating law and order situation in the city.
IG Sindh also said that frequent power outages often aggravated law and order situation in the city. He suggested that the corporation should at least make proper arrangements for effectively responding to public complaints, and offered 'Madadgar 15' help to KESC in this regard.
KESC MD cited shortage of power generation capacity of the Corporation as major cause of load-shedding. He pinpointed overloaded distribution system as another main factor for this anomaly. However, he hoped that with the commissioning of new grid stations and establishment of KESC-Hubco link line the problem would be overcome in the next two years. He identified five feeders which were responsible for 80 percent power theft in the city which included two in Landhi and one each in Malir, Korangi and North Nazimabad. He also discussed the recently KESC established model zones in the city.
Other members of the Standing Committee were Jaffar Hussain Bukhari, Mumtaz Matyani, Sanaullah Khan, Khurshid Shah, Shahjahn Yousuf , Zafar Ali and Abdul Rauf Mengal.
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