The cash starved 40 government departments owe Rs 6.653 billion as outstanding electricity bills to Lahore Electricity Supply Co(Lesco) till March 2011, Lesco spokesman told Business Recorder here on Wednesday. He said Lesco is issuing notices to these departments to clear their dues in two weeks times otherwise their electricity connection will be cut off.
He said Lesco had already disconnected electricity connections of Wasa head office, TMO Gulberg, PWD office, Chief Tariff Engineer, Director O&M Aziz Bhatti town. The spokesman said that the biggest defaulter is Water and Sanitation Authority (Wasa) Lahore which has still not paid Rs 3.115 billion as electricity charges to Lesco accumulated over the years.
He said Lesco, despite several notices, has not disconnected electricity connection of Wasa tubewells as clean drinking water supply to about 9 million people would be suspended posing a serious law and order problem for the government. He said that top 12 defaulters are:
Name of Department (1) Wasa Lahore Rs 3115.26 million (2) TMO Shalimar Town Lahore Rs 389.99 million (3) TMO Pattoki district Kasur Rs 293.80 million (4) TMO Ravi town Lahore Rs 273.60 million (5) Ministry of Railway Rs 235.71 million (6) TMO Data Gang Bukhsh Lahore Rs 223.81 million (7) TMO A.I Town Lahore Rs 184.77 million (8) Punjab Police Department Rs 168.40 million (9) TMO Samanabad town Rs 159.76 million (10) TMO Gulberg town Lahore Rs 157.78 million (11) Punjab Irrigation & Power Department Rs 146.09 million.