The Karachi Electric Supply Corporation (KESC) has decided to take stern action against Karachi Water and Sewerage Board (KWSB) on non-payment of outstanding dues pending against it since last many years. Sources at KESC Recovery Department told Business Recorder here Saturday that in connection to the recently launched dues recovery campaign.
A delegation of the KESC officials had met City Nazim Syed Mustafa Kamal here on Friday, apprising him of the corporation's dues on KWSB and other city government departments. "We have informed CDGK officials that the KESC would compel to take stern actions including the cut of power supply to the board, if the dues were not paid," a KESC official said in term of anonymity.
Sources said that the City Nazim, also serving as the Chairman KWSB, ensured KESC officials for early payment of the dues pending against various CDGK departments, including KWSB and asked the corporation not to cut the supply of these departments.
The KWSB has to pay the biggest amount of KESC's dues totalling over Rs four billion while the City District Government Karachi (CDGK) owes over Rs one billion to the corporation on behalf of its different departments, sources maintained. It is noted that the KESC had cut the supply of the board a few months back on non-payment of outstanding dues pending against it. The power cut to KWSB remained for five consecutive days, created a severe water shortage in the city.
Sources said that the KESC is demanding to pay immediately 25 percent amount of pending dues against KWSB, ie Rs one billion in order to continue uninterrupted power supply to the board. The KESC officials were of the view that the corporation could boost many of its planned and ongoing infrastructure up-gradation works, if the claimed amount would be paid by the CDGK.
Sources said that the consumers of the corporation have to pay a total of Rs 27 billion to KESC on account of electricity bills, out of it Rs 6 billion were in pending against different local and federal government departments. Meanwhile, the KESC has also geared up its negotiations with the officials of the Ministry of Finance, Government of Pakistan for early payment of dues pending against different federal government departments, sources said.