Outstanding bills: Power supply to 39 Wasa stations disconnected

Final notices served to another 21 government departments.

FAISALABAD:

Faisalabad Electric Supply Company (FESCO) has suspended supply to 39 water supply and drainage stations of the Water and Sanitation Agency (Wasa) for nonpayment of dues.

FESCO has launched a campaign against power bills defaulters. A FESCO official said another 21 government departments were on the list prepared by the company for similar action. He said these departments collectively owed Rs280 million to the FESCO.

He said power supply would be disconnected if these departments failed to clear dues within the final notice period.

The FESCO official said Wasa owed more than Rs64 million to the company in electricity bills. He said the agency had failed to clear the dues despite repeated reminders and warning letters. He said supply to 39 Wasa stations was disconnected after expiry of the final notice.

A Wasa spokesman admitted that power supply to 39 stations had been disconnected.

He said a letter has been written to the provincial government requesting help in the matter.

Another FESCO spokesman said that no leniency would be meted out to the departments that had not paid their bills.

He said a team had been formed to recover the unpaid amounts from the departments. In the first phase, he said, the team would recover the unpaid bills from the 39 Wasa stations.

The 21 departments that have been served final notices include: Pakistan Railways, which owes Rs22.9 million; Sui Northern Gas Pipelines Limited (SNGPL),  Rs1.3 million; PTCL, Rs1.2 million; GM National Drainage Programme, Rs1.2 million; Chashma chief engineer’s office, Rs3.1 million, Irrigation and Power Department, Rs24.9 million; Livestock and Dairy Development Department, Rs1.2 million; Punjab Police, Rs 9.6 million; Chiniot TMA, Rs 3.6 million; Sargodha town municipal authority (TMA) Rs 15.9 million; Khushab TMA, Rs 2.3 million; Mianwali TMA, Rs 11.6 million; Essa Khel TMA, Rs 22.3 million; Madina Town TMA, Rs 1.5 million; Iqbal Town TMA, Rs 2.1 million; and Forest Department, Rs 1 million.

Published in The Express Tribune, May 27^th, 2011.