Illegal connections : KWSB makes exceptions for people in power

20 illegal electricity consumers to stay connected out of security concerns.

KARACHI: The Karachi Water and Sewerage Board (KWSB) has allowed some influential people settled near its Gharo Pumping Station to consume its electricity via the illegal kunda system.

KWSB MD Misbahuddin Farid ordered the Gharo Pumping Station officials to remove 42 illegal electricity connections last week. Farid told The Express Tribune that the villagers had been secretly stealing their electricity for years. When the water board was made aware of these illegal connections, they were removed. The MD added that they had disconnected the Hockey Club of Pakistan as they owed KWSB Rs10.8 million in bills.

However, KWSB Electrical and Mechanical Chief Engineer Zaheer Abbas Zaidi restored 20 connections allegedly set up by the DSP of the area and other influential political figures. Zaidi said that the influential people had promised that the villagers would acquire legitimate electricity connections from the Karachi Electric Supply Company within 15 days which is why KWSB accepted their request. Ergo, two goths will consume electricity for the next 15 days after which they will be disconnected permanently.

“We have allowed them to consume KWSB’s electricity under the condition that they would apply for a proper electricity connection from KESC as soon as possible,” Zaidi told the The Express Tribune. He added that the MD knew that the connections had been restored.

The chief engineer said that the electricity was being supplied through sub-meters and KWSB has been charging them for the electricity being consumed. When asked why they have restored connections for specific influential people while restricting poorer villagers, he explained that these people posed a threat to law and order and the water board was compelled to reconnect their power supply.

KESC spokesman Amir Abbasi claimed, however, that allowing or disallowing the use of electricity was out of the KWSB’s jurisdiction. He told The Express Tribune that while theft without KWSB’s knowledge was a separate matter, their decision to grant permission to people to consume electricity indirectly was absolutely unacceptable and illegal. KESC alone can allow legal electricity connections, he added.

Published in The Express Tribune, March 3^rd, 2011.