Chief Executive, Peshawar Electric Supply Company (Pesco), Brigadier Sakhi Marjan, Thursday said that the massive power theft not only increases frequent power breakdowns but also causing huge financial losses to the power company.
The surveillance teams of the company last month detected 370 power theft cases. Addressing a meeting of Superintending Engineers (S.Es) here at WAPDA House to review performance of different circles of the company during July 2007, he expressed his satisfaction.
Those attended the meeting included Chief Engineer, Jehanzeb Khan, Chief Engineer Nawaz Ali Khan, Chief Engineer Muhammad Yar Khan, Chief Engineer Rustam Zad Gul, while other senior Pesco officers were present in the meeting. All Sub-engineers of the company attended the meeting and presented the progress report. Hazara Circle remained on the top in achieving 1.4 percent reduction in line losses and 14 percent increase in recovery.
He directed improvement in overcoming the long standing problem of line losses and recovery by the end of current month (August) and warned of action against those failed in bringing improvement in recovery and reduction of line losses in their circles concerned.
The Chief Executive Pesco transferred sub-divisional officer (SDO) Mardan Cantonment to Bannu Circle as punishment for his poor performance and warned other SDOs to improve their performance before next meeting. Otherwise, he warned them of strict disciplinary action.
Expressing concern over slow pace of recovery from the defaulting public sector institutions and private consumers in some circles where arrears amounting to millions of rupees are still outstanding, he stressed the need of speeding up the pace of recovery from the defaulters for strengthening financial position of the company and initiation of more development schemes.
Chief Executive Pesco said that in order to overcome the problems of overloading and frequent power breakdowns, work on system augmentation and installation of new heavy power transformers is in progress. "The augmentation of the system and installation of new transformers, he said would ultimately help in mitigating the difficulties faced by the consumers," the chief executive told the meeting.
He further directed the concerned officials to ensure smooth and uninterrupted power supply during the forthcoming holy month of Ramazan. He directed to arrange trolley mounted transformers and completion of all kind of maintenance and repair work before the fall of Ramazan.
He told the meeting that the distribution company has started a number of electricity schemes worth millions of rupees throughout the province and directed to complete all such ongoing developmental schemes by the end of next month. He was hopeful that the completion of the ongoing schemes would resolve the electricity related problems of the people to a large extent. Taking serious note of the power pilferage in different areas was the main cause of frequent power breakdowns and inflicting huge financial losses on the company. He directed the concerned officials to take steps to curb the Kunda Culture.
He said that a number of surveillance teams have already been constituted to curb the illegal use of power. These teams, he said have already started their work and the results are encouraging. In this respect, he said that 370 power theft related teams in Peshawar, Mardan and Hazara circles have already produced results.
The campaign, he added would continue. In this regard, Brigadier Sakhi Marjan also directed the concerned officials to create awareness among the people about conservation of energy especially during the peak hours ie from 6.00 pm to 11.00 pm so that public may not have to face inconvenience.
Chief Executive Pesco also took a very serious note of some complaints regarding over-billing and warned the officials involved to avoid over billing in future and those found guilty would be liable to stern disciplinary action. He vowed that no irregularity would be tolerated in future.
The field offices were also directed to immediately respond to the complaints, saying all out efforts must be made to provide load management schedule to public, so consumers must not face any difficulties. He also directed the officials of PESCO to take all out efforts for maintaining the distribution system and replacement of all the tilted poles and worn out wires immediately to avoid human as well as material losses.