Fleecing consumers: Discos under government's control losing revenue: FCCI

Apprehensions of the business, trade and industry that power distribution companies (Discos) are fleecing the consumers have been confirmed by the report that all Discos under the control of the government are losing revenue, while one Karachi Electric Supply Co, (KESC) is not under the control of the government and earning profit, this was stated by Mian Zahid Aslam, President, Faisalabad Chamber of Commerce & Industry (FCCI), talking to news persons.
He said that Water and Power Supply Secretary Himayatullah Khan has testified before the National Assembly's Standing Committee on Water and Power that nearly half of the electricity produced in the country ultimately goes down to drain because of the system losses and non-recovery of bills. To cover these losses and non-recovery, Discos are indulging in wrong billing and over billing to make up their losses.
He said that the ultimate losers in all this exercise were the consumers. Quoting the example he said that a small 'Khokha' owner had come to him showing his bill of Rs 12,000, which he could not pay. The consumer explained that he uses only one bulb at his 'Khokha' and yet he has been charged Rs 12,000 for the month.
He lamented that he could not earn Rs 12,000 a month for his living and from where he should pay this bill. Similarly, cottage industry owner with four power looms showed him a bill of Rs 20,000 for the month, which was highly excessive particularly in the backdrop of severe load shedding of electricity.
He said it was surprising to note that KESC had earned 2.6 billion dollar profit in last fiscal year while the other Discos were showing losses. These losses were due to mismanagement, corruption and discriminatory attitude towards small consumers and small sized industrialists. If the Discos properly manage their affairs and serve the consumers with due earnestness as a utility company, they would not have run into losses but earned profit and also provided relief to the consumers.
He urged the government to appoint a high level investigation into the affairs of the Discos and if feasible, these companies should be privatised in order to make them more efficient and public servant companies.