KARACHI, Jan. 6: Karachi Electric Supply Company has reiterated its resolve to come down hard against all electricity defaulters, public and private. KESC has been working on a 'zero tolerance' policy, especially against willful defaulters and power thieves, whose actions not only create losses of billions for the utility, but also wreck havoc with the honest bill paying customers. In line with this policy, KESC has recently disconnected various federal and provincial defaulters, the likes of customs, public health, forest, finance, communication & works and the directorate of education.
The EDO of Elementary Education has to pay a total of Rs. 47.3 million, while the provincial government Directorate of Education owes Rs. 25.6 million against 144 connections of various schools and colleges.
KESC has asked the education authorities of federal and provincial governments to play their due role in paying the outstanding bills of education imparting institutions. KESC pointed out that education sector needed to demonstrate exemplary attitude in respect of paying bills on time, so as to educate their students for preparing them as responsible citizens.
In terms of the overall unpaid power dues, the Federal Government owes KESC unpaid bills of Rs. 1.66 billion, while the provincial government customers have power outstandings of about Rs. 23 billion. Karachi Water and Sewerage Board owes KESC the single largest amount, that is around a collosal Rs. 15.94 billion while the City District Government Karachi has total unpaid bills of Rs. 5.18 billion. and other provincial departments and bodies have outstanding bills worth Rs. 1.56 billion.
KESC demanded of the government departments to support the utility’s drive against bill defaulters and those involved in illegal use of electricity, since the two issues had been causing great hardships in the way of uninterrupted supply of electricity to the metropolitan's population. Huge outstanding amounts coupled with theft of a little less than a third of the total generated electricity had been main reasons behind load shedding and shortfall of cash inflow to pay to fuel providers and adding to the circular debt.
KESC asked all the government departments who have not paid their electricity bills to take immediate steps to pay in order to avoid inconvenience.
