Majority of businessmen, especially the shopkeepers of Multan, Bahawalpur, Rahimyar Khan, Vehari and Dera Ghazi Khan have received electricity bills of double amount in the month of September as compared to the amount of bills received in August.
Chairman of Traders Chamber Khawaja Muhammad Shafiq has protested on the inflated bills and appealed to Prime Minister Syed Yousaf Raza Gilani to save the traders from ruination. He said that shopkeepers, who had received Rs 4,000 bill in July/August this year, have received Rs 7,000 to 8,000 bill in September which causing frustration for the traders.
"I pay Rs 12,000 monthly rent of shop and Mepco has issued me double amount of bill that is Rs 6,000 in August and how I will manage the electricity as my business has declined due to massive load shedding in this summer season," said the owner of a laundry shop. The owner of a barbershop, in front of laundry shop, has received Rs 8,000 electricity bill in September against the previous amount of Rs 4,000, although he is not using air conditioner. "Is it not a joke that his bill had also been doubled without any increase in the electricity consumption," said a worker of the shop.
The panic among the business community prevails as the shopkeepers of different areas complained about the continuous increase in the electricity prices. The billing department continuously issuing average bills to the shopkeepers in different areas of the city.
"They have charged Rs 7,000 while I have no such appliance in my shop that will increase the amount of my bill. My previous bill was used to be around Rs 3,500," said a shopkeeper of Sadar Bazar. "This is not the only problem we are facing; this is an added misery as our business is already suffering by the load shedding as most of the time in the day we face unscheduled load shedding," he added. It is to be recalled here that business community has already protested against the electricity shortage.
"Most of the time we have to run our business on generators and as the fuel prices are already increasing, this has reduced our profitability. Now this situation of billing has amplified our problems, as I have got bill of Rs 20,000 this month," said a resident of Shamsabad. "My bill was Rs 10,000 per month and I believe to pay the dues on time but now it is a dilemma as I hardly meet my expenses. How can I pay such a huge amount?
My business is already ruined due to existing power crisis," asked the billing victim. There is no relief in sight as the existing situation of load shedding is prevailing. They added that despair of this over billing has levelled questions against the working capability of the Mepco.
A barber shop owner showed his annoyance over the situation. He said, "I work day and night for my family. But the situation of electricity has barred me from having any profit. I got the bill of Rs 7,000, while I have only three fans and three tube lights to consume electricity. It's almost an awful gag, I would say as most of the time the electricity is powered off, so how come I have consumed this much electricity."
Reliable sources informed that "this is a bleak situation but we cannot do anything in this regard. The new management has to take steps in order to provide relief to the citizens from this malpractice of Mepco and its billing department."
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