The Lahore Electric Supply Company exercised 60 hours power supply cut to the industrial consumers during Ashura, said sources. The supply cut started by the midday on 8th of Muharram and continued until the midnight of 10th of Muharram, which was entirely an unprecedented supply cut in the history of Lesco on Ashura. Prior to it, sources added, the power supply suspension was exercised during the peak hours for industrial consumers.
The Water and Power ministry sources have revealed that the industrial consumers have lodged a written complaint against the Lesco. "We have received a letter from a segment of the industrial consumers, agitating against the suspension of power supply for 60 hours that was," sources added. Meanwhile, the industrial sources have told this scribe that there was no prior notice from the Lesco before suspension of power supply for such a long duration. They alleged that the LESCO had taken this step to avoid public pressure, which was unaffordable for the government under the prevailing political situation in the country.
Accordingly, the relevant authorities decided to cut supply to the prime users while keeping supply intact to the domestic consumers. It is worth noting that the industrial consumers are considered as the prime users of the distribution companies, as they not only pay utility bills well in time but the ratio of line losses also remains negligible on these feeders.
They have further claimed that the Lesco took this decision because of a huge gap in demand and supply, which, according to Lesco insiders, stood at 12000 megawatt on the supply side and 19,000 megawatt on demand side. Since the mercury was quite high during Ashura therefore the Lesco ensured maximum domestic supply to accommodate the high usage of air conditioners.
When contacted, the LESCO spokesman confirmed the unprecedented supply cut, saying that the step was taken due to unusual security measures on Ashura. "There were standing instructions that no supply cut should be made in and around the surveillance cameras installed for security purposes," he added. However, he avoided to comment when pointed out that what was the use of supplying electricity to these cameras during the day hours.