Recovery drive: PESCO disconnects supply, nabs those using illegal connections

K-P Investment Board vows to take concrete steps to revive economic activities.


Our Correspondent October 12, 2013
Power supply to Kalukhel village located in the suburbs of Peshawar was disconnected because of non-payment of bills worth Rs9.6 million. PHOTO: www.pesco.gov.pk/

PESHAWAR:


The Peshawar Electric Supply Company (Pesco) disconnected power supply to various localities of the province during a recovery campaign on Saturday.


According to Pesco Spokesperson Shaukat Afzal, power supply to Kalukhel village located in the suburbs of Peshawar was disconnected because of non-payment of bills worth Rs9.6 million. “Pesco officials also removed 1,438 illegal power connections from Lala subdivision which had resulted in huge losses to the utility,” he added.

Faced with losses of around Rs3 billion per month in Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa, Pesco was instructed by Minister of State for Water and Power Abid Sher Ali earlier this week to intensify its efforts to curb illegal use of electricity.

As per the directives of the federal minister to hold public meetings in order to redress public complaints, Pesco officials of Lala subdivision held an open katchery (discussion) at Sardar Gharhi village to redress complaints and recover outstanding dues, said Afzal. “We managed to recover Rs200,000 from defaulters.”

He added during the campaign to curb power pilferage, Pesco teams in collaboration with Peshawar police nabbed 20 people who had been using electricity via hooks on direct lines. Special magistrate for Pesco later sent the accused to Peshawar Central Prison on judicial remand.

“Defaulters have been strongly warned to deposit their dues. Otherwise, their electricity will not be restored,” said Afzal.

Meanwhile, Pesco officials in Nowshera Cantonment-I also recovered Rs1 million from 218 defaulters and disconnected supply to 52 consumers over non-payment.

Economic reforms

The Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa (K-P) government on Saturday decided to take concrete steps to revive economic activities in the province under a comprehensive trade plan.

The province is aiming to establish a strong industrial base, promote tourism and trade activities in order to pave way for investments, said participants during a meeting of the K-P Investment Board held under the chairmanship of Chief Minister Pervez Khattak.

The meeting was attended by K-P Investment Board Vice Chairman Mohsin Aziz, Senior Minister Sikandar Sherpao, Economic Adviser to Chief Minister Rafaqatullah Babar, K-P Chief Secretary Arbab Shehzad along with additional chief secretary and administrative secretaries of finance, energy and power, local government, sports and tourism, and irrigation, stated an official handout.

It added surveys have been carried out for setting up industrial estates near Peshawar, Nowshera, Charsadda, Mardan, Kohat and Malakand. The private sector has offered to set up gas power stations with generation capacity of 200-250 MW. Additionally, the private sector offered to set up power plants that use waste to generate energy in the province.

Published in The Express Tribune, October 13th, 2013.

COMMENTS (1)

Ali | 10 years ago | Reply Thanks you ET, for posting a pro-PTI article after a long long time.
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