President Consumer of Pakistan Society (COPS), Dr Mohammad Tariq Bucha has strongly reacted to government's decision to increase the electricity tariff for domestic, commercial, industrial and agricultural usage, and said the government should not penalise the people on account of inefficiency/mismanagement of Water and Power Development Authority (Wapda)/Pepco.
He said that instead of frequently raising electricity tariff, Wapda/Pepco should control very high percentage of line losses and recover dues/electricity charges from various provincial, federal governments and other organisations. At a specially convened meeting here on Thursday.
The members of COPS felt that instead of adopting the easy course of generating income by increasing tariffs, Wapda and its allied distribution companies (Discos) should take suitable, effective and immediate measures to control line losses by giving target to related grid and zone chiefs, thus there would be no need to increase the tariff.
They said the persistent increase in electricity tariff is adding to the miseries of the people resulting in closing of many industries and causing individuals and organisations rapid slip towards bankruptcy. The society suggested that Pepco should progressively reduce the line losses not less than five percent in a year and in this connection evaluate performance of its distribution companies every quarter.
Besides alternate energy sources may be tapped and put in place forthwith by increasing the generation through the use of gas instead of furnace oil (during off peak periods). The society further suggested that strict vigilance and monitoring should be done to control theft and pilferage with or without connivance and similar monitoring system regarding line losses be adopted to achieve positive results.
Unnecessary illuminations, hoardings should not be allowed during the short fall in electricity supply and people using them for functions should be discouraged to use Wapda electricity and adopt strict measures for its implementations including fines etc. It also suggested that the timings of shops/offices be regulated to match the availability of power (in Bangla Desh (Dhaka) the shops close at 8pm irrespective of any pressure).
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