Federal Control: LESCO not acting as an independent DISCO: LHC

The region's electricity is undersupplied despite having the best revenue recovery in the country.

LAHORE:

The Lahore High Court on Friday observed that the Lahore Electric Supply Company (LESCO) was not functioning as an independent distribution company in that it took orders from the federal government and had not raised an issue over receiving less electricity even though it had the best recovery of revenue in the country.

These observations followed LESCO Chief Executive Officer Muhammad Salim’s admission that he had not raised an issue with the government over receiving 1,517 MW against the demand of 3,626 MW of electricity.

Salim also said that electricity theft usually increased during summers. This was because of the use of air conditioners, he said. The LESCO, he said, had no mechanism to detect the number of air conditioners being used in the city.

Use of electricity perked between 8pm and 10pm in commercial areas. Salim said the LESCO had a policy to shut down their feeders but some of these were rescheduled by corrupt officials.

The court said that power supply rules should be modified to empower the electricity distribution companies (DISCOs) to check misuse and theft of electricity. Salim was also asked to submit a report on steps taken against corrupt LESCO officials.

The court directed the LESCO to devise a plan to apprise consumers about energy conservation measures and alternative energy sources.

The chief justice said the LESCO was the largest revenue collecting DISCO but received a disproportionately small share from the national grid. And yet its chief had never complained about that. The CJ said it was essential that the revenue collected remained the main criteria to fix supply and load shedding schedules.

The petitioner’s counsel, Azhar Siddique, said that a private housing society in the city received electivity throughout the day and was not subject to load shedding.

The LESCO chief admitted that the society’s grid station did in fact belong to the LESCO. However the DISCO had no control over the electricity supply to the society, he said.

He said a 132KV transmission line was supplied to the society directly from the national grid on the directions of some ‘high-ups’ and the LESCO could not shut it down.

The CJ directed Salim to produce a copy of the order that exempted the housing society from load shedding. The hearing was adjourned till May 13.

LHC seeks reply by May 9

The Lahore High Court (LHC) on Monday sought reply on the arrangements at Wagha border for imported carbon dioxide gas.

The court also called for details of businesses having the permission to import the gas. The court sought reports till May 9 with remarks that human lives may be at stake and that the matter should be resolved at the earliest.

The court is hearing a petition moved on behalf of M/s Colony Sugar Mills.

The petitioner’s counsel, Advocate Shahid Ikram Siddique, had submitted that the petitioner was producing the gas locally and owned one of the most advanced carbon dioxide production facilities in the country.  He submitted that the Ministry of Commerce had allowed M/s Pak Gases (Pvt) to import carbon dioxide from India last year.

He submitted that the permission was illegal as the gas was included in the negative list of imports from India. He said it was also against the Import Policy Order 2013. He said the imported gas did not meet the quality standards as there was no system in place to check it before it entered Pakistan.

He said storage and transportation of gas to be used in food products was required to be carried out by ISO certified tankers which were not available at Wagha.

He said the imported gas was a health hazard as it was being supplied to the beverage industry for manufacture of carbonated drinks.

He requested the court to declare the gas import from India illegal and restrain the federal government from permitting such imports in the future.

He also requested the court to issue directions for confiscation of the entire imported inventories.

Published in The Express Tribune, May 4^th, 2013.