Industrial, agriculture sectors can''t be exempted from power outages: Ashraf

Federal Minister for Water and Power Raja Pervez Ashraf has said that presently the government cannot exempt the agricultural and industrial sectors from load-shedding on permanent basis, however, when the situation improves and generation capacity becomes stable, both sectors will be given due priority.
In a written reply provided to the National Assembly on Saturday, the minister informed that the country plunged into power crunch due to annual growth rate in demand and non-addition of power plants to the system by the previous government. He said that a total of 5,21,071 cases of pilferage of electricity were registered in Punjab during March 2005 to March 2008, of which 5,20,257 cases were disposed off after taking appropriate action.
He further said that following preventive measures have been adopted for the control of theft of energy: A percentage of checks is being exercised by all field officers/officials on meter reading described in commercial procedures and monthly feedback for monitoring performance of individual concern, maintenance of rise and fall in consumption record of big domestic, commercial, industrial and tube well consumer for checking of units consumed by them and its critical analysis.
ATB & LT bushes of transformers have been installed at dedicated connections. Meters have been placed outside the houses and poles have been installed in cluster shape by providing a common neutral, he added.
Moreover, a monitoring system of meter reading through various surveillance teams, periodical checking of meters through M&T staff were made. Old meters were replaced besides replacement of defective and sluggish meters. Daily reading of seasonal industrial connections, periodic checking of big industrial consumers by M&T and night raids in doubtful cases have been ensured.
He further said that besides prompt billing of new connections, warnings have been issued to punish the field staff involved in theft of energy. Rotation of meter readers, securing of meters through special security slips, system for monitoring losses/theft at micro level by installing remote meters at transformer level. Checking of connections by special surveillance teams, checking of meters on fortnightly basis have also been ensured.
He stated that action has also been taken against employees found involved in pilferage. It warned that if any employee found involved will be given the following punishment: (1) one step down in time scale for a period of one year to three years (2) stoppage of one annual increment for one year to two years (3) compulsory retirement from service(4) dismissal from service.