Nepra blamed for rising problems of K-Electric consumers

Non-existence of a working set-up of National Electric Power Regulatory Authority (Nepra) in the city was causing problems for K-Electric consumers in getting their complaints registered against the power utility. Although the Nepra's former vice chairman Khwaja Naeem at a public hearing, held about three months, ago had announced setting up its regional office in Bahadurabad for resolution of K-Electric's consumers' issues, such an office was nowhere in sight.
Many consumers have, however, objected to location of the Nepra's office, demanding that it be situated at a central place so that millions of consumers could benefit in getting resolved their issues concerning the electricity. Nepra's Major Haroon had also admitted that the consumers have been facing difficulties in getting resolved their issues concerning K-Electric as the city's consumer division was not functioning effectively.
Meanwhile, Kesc Share-holders Association's General Secretary Chaudhry Mazhar Ali said the basic purpose of the regulatory body was to get consumers' feedback regularly regarding the K-Electric's quality of service, but unfortunately consumers of the power utility were being neglected as the regulatory body has failed in setting up a platform for 2.2 million consumers who have been subjected to unannounced load-shedding and excessive billings by K-Electric.
He said that the regulatory body has also failed to take stern actions against the K-Electric, despite the fact that "the power utility has been playing double game with consumers as, on the one hand, the company has been receiving billions of subsidy from government on account of tariff adjustment and, on the other hand, it often get the power tariff increased on the pretext of fuel price increase.
He said: "Cunningness of the K-Electric can be gauged from the fact that it is receiving double bank charges from consumers." Chaudhry urged the regulatory body to set up consumer affairs division's regional office in Karachi so that it could help mitigate the sufferings of helpless consumers of the K-Electric.