Non-recovery of bills: Pesco faces Rs 4 billion losses per month, NA panel told

Peshawar Electric Supply Company (Pesco) Tuesday informed a sub-committee of National Assembly Standing Committee on Planning, Development and Reform that it is facing Rs 4 billion losses per month in terms of non-recovery of electricity bills. The subcommittee met with MNA Sher Akbar Khan in the chair here at the Parliament House to discuss various issues relating to the Pesco, PEDO and load-shedding as well as development projects related to construction of grids stations and feeders of Chitral.
While briefing the committee, Chief Engineer Pesco Akbar Khan said that the people of Peshawar, Bannu and Khyber Agency are stealing electricity through hook system (kunda system). The Pesco is collecting Rs 6 billion out of Rs 10 billion every month. "We are facing Rs 4 billion losses due to non-recoverable electricity bills," he pointed out.
He said that the speed of work on some development projects decreased due to lack of funds. He said that a total amount of Rs 1.2 billion is required to complete projects relating to transmission, feeders and others.
The committee expressed serious concern over the absence of Pesco chief executive from the meeting. The committee asked an officer of the PESCO who was sitting in the meeting to call chief executive to attend the meeting. Shortly, the official told the committee that chief executive was apologizing to the committee for not attending the meeting and assured his presence in the next meeting. Convener Sher Akbar Khan said that the next meeting would be held on April 16 in Peshawar and the chief executive must attend it.
Committee member Iftikhar-ud-Din said that 50 percent area of Chitral has been deprived of electricity since 2003. He said that a power station of Pakhtunkhwa Energy Development Organization (PEDO) had been destroyed due to floods but Chief Minister Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Pervez Khattak has not taken any step to restore the power station so far.
He said that Chitral enjoys potential to generate 15,000MW hydro power, but the government of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa is not paying any attention in this regard. He said that the Planning Commission has raised objections on PC-1 of two projects relating to four grid stations and installation of feeders in Chitral. An official of the Pesco told the committee that both PC-1 of the projects would be reviewed and referred again to the Planning Commission for approval.
Another committee member Junaid Akbar said that the people of his constituency are facing load-shedding of more than 6 hours. He said if load-shedding persists then the people will be compelled to protest against the government.