Payment of bills: Mepco refuses to extend date despite ministry's directions

The Multan Electric Supply Company (Mepco) has refused to extend payment date of electricity bills to April 7, despite written directions by the Ministry of Energy issued last week.
According to the Pakistan Electric Power Company (Pepco) sources, the industrial consumers were upset over the development as the Mepco management was not complying with the ministry's directions.
It may be noted that the Ministry of Energy had issued instructions to all the DISCOs on March 26 regarding the decision of extension of payment date to April 7 without late payment surcharge.
The sources said the Mepco management was unhappy with the industrial consumers over the excessive litigation in the past. The industrial consumers, on the other hand, have also refused to pay their bills on March 30, which was the last date of payment of bills. The Mepco chief was not available to comment despite repeated attempts on his cell phone.
However, the management of Lahore Electric Supply Company (Lesco), Faisalabad Electric Supply Company (Fesco) and other distribution companies (DISCOs) have started extending the payment date to April 7 in line with the ministry instructions.
It may be noted that the revenue officers (ROs) of LESCO were also found advising the consumers to go to headquarters of the Company for extension in the payment date. However, the chief executive officer (CEO) intervened and issued directions to the concerned department for revising the payment date of all the bills and issuing the new ones to consumers in a day or so.
The sources further pointed out that the LESCO would also withdraw all types of tariff adjustments and surcharges on the electricity bills of the exporting industry in revised bills in line with the earlier notification of withdrawal of adjustments and surcharges on the bills of exporting industries.
Meanwhile, the Lesco chief has also stopped the meter readers from meter reading for the month of March because of the lockdown to avoid the spread of COVID-19. Instead, the Company has decided to charge consumers on the basis of electricity bills of the month of March 2019.