District Administrator Hyderabad, Aftab Ahmed Khatri, while expressing his apprehension over the matter of issuance of detection electric bills and unscheduled load-shedding has called upon Hyderabad Electric Supply Company (Hesco) management to take action against the officials involved in electric theft, causing difficulties for the consumers paying bills regularly.
This he stated while presiding over a meeting held at his camp office to check unscheduled load shedding and issuance of detection bills to the consumers, here on Thursday. Khatri said that to compensate losses due to 'kunda' system, illegal connections, and reading concession to Hesco officials, detection bills are being served to the consumers paying their bills regularly.
This practice, he added, has created deficit in the demand and supply of electricity, forcing management to enforce load shedding. Due to load-shedding, water supply and drainage system have been badly affected. The administrator observed that action against the black sheep in the organisation could save the citizens from many problems and streamline business activities in the market.
Speaking on the occasion, MNA Syed Tayab Ahmed said Hesco management is playing with the emotions of citizens, saying sometimes, duration of load-shedding lasts for right to 10 hours in a day. He further said it could take many weeks for Hesco management to rectify technical faults or change faulty transformers. He added that public representatives are facing this critical situation on the cost of negligence of Hesco officials.
Tayab revealed that there are many areas where citizens, in connivance with Hesco officials, are getting electricity but not receiving electric bills. He said that it is because of illegal connections operating in large numbers that is resulting in burning of transformers in a frequent manner. He said he could help Hesco management identify electric thefts in case the management of Hesco launches action against the evil.
Hesco Chief, Nazir Ahmed Shaikh said that kunda system, illegal connections and extreme heat were the main causes behind burning of transformers and failure to supply electricity. He added that as many as 20 transformers have been arranged for Hyderabad from other areas to avoid electric problems. He informed that he has devised a strategy with the consultation of public representatives of the area to resolve the electricity problems, adding full support from public representatives is needed in this regard.
He stressed that without public participation, the system could not be strengthened. He advised the people to detect 'black sheeps' in Hesco so that action against them could be initiated. MNA Salahuddin, MPAs Waseem Hussain, Akram Adil, Chief Engineer Operation Director Muhammad Moosa Meer Bahar, Manager Operation Circle-I Laeeq Ahmed, Ghulam Nabi Mughal and officers of other concerned departments were also present in the meeting.