WASA could default on Rs150m power bill next week

Officials have approached federal railways minister to intervene in the matter

RAWALPINDI: The Water and Sanitation Agency (Wasa) in Rawalpindi could default on its Rs150 million power bill unless it clears the dues early next week. But officials of the agency are not optimistic that the dues will be cleared in time, running the risk that the agency may find itself without power to operate its tube wells.

Officials of the agency, however, have apparently contacted a federal minister from the city to intervene and help buy the agency more time.

The Islamabad Electric Supply Corporation (IESCO) had issued red notices to Wasa to clear its dues by December 24. Failure to do so will see the power company launch a crackdown from December 26 which would see it cut power to facilities owned by the agency.

These would include power connections to some 350 tube wells across the district. Should the power be cut to these contraptions, it would deprive the city of a major source of drinking water and could result in a major water crisis.

Wasa officials, who did not wish to be named given the sensitivity of the issue, told Daily Express that they have not raised their charges and hence their revenues over the past 10 years. Moreover, around 244 small and large housing societies cumulatively owe the agency around a billion rupees in dues.

Illegal water connections and rising water theft have made matters worse.

As a result, the agency has been unable to keep paying its power bills.

In this regard, after the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) formed a government in Punjab, the agency requested it to provide a Rs700 million bailout so that they could clear all of their dues.

While the provincial minister approved the move, it was shot down by Punjab Chief Minister Usman Buzdar after the finance ministry raised objections. The authority has now approached Federal Railways Minister Shaikh Rasheed Ahmed to intervene and ask IESCO to grant the agency more time to pay the bill.

To make matters worse, the agency has been headless after its managing director was terminated allegedly for his poor performance. A new managing director is expected to be appointed by next week.

Recently, Wasa had decided to launch a crackdown against its defaulters apart from devising a new policy to control provision of water and on how to bill them.

Rawalpindi Development Authority (RDA) Chairman Arif Abbasi had recently said that it has been decided that there will be a single connection to a single storey house. Hence, every subsequent storey would not only require a separate connection but will also be billed independently. As such, a three-storey building will have three separate connections rather than a single connection and will receive three bills.

Moreover, Wasa has also sent a summary to Lahore proposing an increase in the water bill by at least Rs200 to Rs300 per connection.