Advisor to Sindh Chief Minister for Finance, M A Jalil on Tuesday presided over a meeting to resolve ongoing row between Karachi Electric Supply Corporation (KESC) and the Town Municipal Administrations (TMAs) over payment of electricity bills.
Nazim of Saddar Town Muhammad Bilawal informed the advisor that the KESC carries the cutting of roads without any payment of charges but keep on demanding arrears of utility bills. He suggested that the KESC should pay road-cutting charges or deduct the bills from those charges. An official of KESC informed that they were allowed the road cutting without any charges by the city government.
On this, the Saddar Town Nazim viewed that permission by CDGK would only be for the roads like M A Jinnah road and I I Chundrigar road falling in its limits, therefore the KESC should pay for roads falling in Saddar town.
Jalil advised both the town administration and CDGK to resolve the issue amicably. The other town Nazims also complained that streetlights in their respective towns were off since long but they continue receiving electric bills.
Advisor directed the KESC official to address this issue and resolve it by the end of this month. He also asked the Town Nazims to pay arrears of electric bills by the end of this month and categorically stated that provincial government would not be responsible if their power supply is disconnected by KESC. "The TMAs are paid more share as compared to past therefore they should clear the dues.
Appreciating the Shah Faisal, Nazimabad, Bin Qasim, Korangi and Keamari towns for regular payment of electric bills, he urged other towns to follow them. Secretary Finance, Mumtaz Rehman, Additional Secretary, Tariq Jaffery, KESC official Tanzeem Hussain Naqvi and others were present.