Residents of Ibrahim Hyderi Goth took out a rally and staged a protest sit-in at Korangi Crossing on Tuesday against discontinuation of electricity supply to the area for many days. The protestors blocked the road, which led to massive gridlock. They demanded early restoration of electricity in their area.
The protesters, holding placards and banners, chanted slogans against KESC management. They also burnt tyres. The protesters warned of complete strike in Ibrahim Hydery, a coastal village of 40, 000 people, and besieging of KESC power plant. Meanwhile, Karachi Electric Supply Company in a statement condemned the violent agitation and blocking of traffic by the chronic defaulters of Ibrahim Hyderi Goth who instead of reaching an agreement with the power company for clearance of their long standing dues, resorted to disruption and vandalism.
KESC said that the 973 defaulting consumers of the area have outstanding power bills worth Rs 8 crore 32 lakh to pay. These consumers not only have been refraining from paying their previous dues but are also defaulting on their current monthly bills on a regular basis.
KESC had sent them several notices and had even worked out a solution for the defaulters on soft terms, asking them to pay their current bills plus a nominal instalment of Rs 500 each, with respect to their arrears. However, instead of taking up this offer to regularise themselves, the area residents refused to pay even according to this solution, which could be seen from the fact that only 5 percent of the defaulting customers expressed acceptance to the above.
Given the above mushrooming default and non-committal attitude, KESC was left with no option but to disconnect four PMTs of the area, namely; Charan Para PMT-1, Charan Para PMT-2, Jamot Colony PMT-1 and Jamot Colony PMT-2. Even upon disconnection the habitual defaulters did not move ahead to eke out a payment solution with the utility, rather resorted to violence and agitation and chose to take the law in their own hands. The KESC local area office in Korangi was also attacked by the protesting mob, which led to disruption in customer services operation it added.
KESC said that power defaulters who insist on not paying for the services they use, cannot be provided free electricity in gross violation of the sanctity of the honest bill paying customers. KESC has urged all such free loaders to refrain from their evasive payment behaviour because it has a 'zero tolerance policy' against such wilful defaulters and the utility will operate without discrimination against all such elements.
Comments
Comments are closed.