Karachi Electric Supply Company (KESC) has rejected the Water Board's allegations, that the power utility is conducting load shedding at its pumping stations. According to KESC, the actual intention behind the allegation was to extort total funding for replacement of its own faulty internal service cables at Gharo, Dhabeji and Pipri pumping stations which would cost a huge amount between Rs 40 million to Rs 50 million.
KESC categorically stated that there had been no load shedding from its end at any of the pumping stations despite KWSB's enormous billing default in excess of Rs 17 billion and the running default of over Rs 350 million current monthly bills.
The load shedding exemption to KWSB, despite its defaulting attitude is only on humanitarian grounds, stated KESC, else if the power supply to the defaulting Water Board is cut, it is the citizens that would suffer.
Secondly, as a gesture of goodwill KESC had already offered to partly share the cost of KWSB's faulty and dilapidated service cables, which often cause tripping of KESC's feeders as well.
This too had been done in the spirit of public service benefit although KESC was not obliged to do so.
Unfortunately the Water Board, it seems is not interested in working out a resolution with KESC, rather is more keen to pursue its own nefarious interests. This can be seen from the fact that the Water Board is adamant not only on defaulting on its electricity bills but is also using the media to create a false propaganda, only for the purpose of extortion, trying to coerce KESC into picking up the cost to put KWSB's house in order.
Recently the Water Board management has written a number of letters to KESC, complaining about the fabricated and fictitious 'load shedding' but despite KESC's official reminders, the Water Board has not been able to provide any such proof.
KESC said the Water Board needed to start paying its current bills, clear the huge backlog, and replace its faulty internal service cables in order to perform its public interest responsibilities, rather than engaging in underhand tactics.