The government must install prepaid meters and lay underground lines so that honest consumers, don't suffer.
KARACHI: Every government claims that electricity can be produced by building new dams and investing in the Thar coal reserves. However, it is impossible to ensure sufficient generation and provision of electricity unless power thefts are not controlled. Why doesn’t the government install prepaid meters and underground lines to prevent theft of electricity? Even if the government increases supply of electricity in a few years, people will continue to steal electricity if prepaid meters are not installed and underground lines are not laid.
Instead of importing prepaid meters, the government should invite foreign firms to make prepaid meters in Pakistan so that the cost of such meters is reduced. Once these are installed and underground lines are laid, recovery of bills will be more regular and the issue of circular debt will be resolved. Load-shedding will not be eliminated until power theft is controlled. People install air conditioners in every room and use electricity through illegal connections.
The government must install prepaid meters and lay underground lines so that honest consumers, who pay their bills on time, do not suffer from load-shedding.
Ghazanfar Ali Khan
Published in The Express Tribune, May 29th, 2014.
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