Equal and opposite reaction?: PESCO disconnects supply to six villages in CM’s constituency
SDO claims police was notified to arrest defaulters but took no action.
SDO claims police was notified to arrest defaulters but took no action. PHOTO: FILE
NOWSHERA:
The power supply to six villages of PK-13, Nowshera – the constituency which elected Chief Minister Pervez Khattak – was disconnected by Peshawar Electric Supply Company (Pesco) officials on Sunday.
According to Pesco subdivisional officer (SDO) Abbas Khan, the action was taken after villagers refused to pay their bills. “Despite multiple warnings, residents did not clear their outstanding dues, and the electricity supply was cut off to Doran, Mali Khel, Qasim Khel, Gul Dheri, Manahi and Pethao,” explained Khan.
The six villages owe the utility company a total of Rs2.5 million in unpaid bills, said Khan.
A majority of the villagers have not paid their bills since the past five years, shared the SDO. Pesco officials have been visiting the area for the last three months to convince them to pay up but to no avail.
Pesco had also sent a notification to the Nowshera police to arrest the defaulters, however, Azakhel, Akora Khattak and Nowshera Kalan police did not take any action.
“We gave them a list of 132 people, from the villages, who were stealing electricity and FIRs were lodged against them, but the police failed to arrest even a single person,” said Khan.
Forcing PESCO’s hand?
Pesco chief Tariq Sadozai had directed the utility’s Nowshera officials to cut off supply to villages where 60% residents refused to pay bills, stated Khan. After the order, Pesco officials visited the villages once again to convince villagers to pay up but they refused; forcing the officials to take away their electricity meters.
“Following this, the villagers installed kundas, forcing us to disconnect the supply even though a few people were paying their bills,” added Khan.
“It is not possible for us to supply electricity to just one or two houses,” he contended.
The SDO maintained the supply will remain disconnected until defaulters pay back what they owe the company.
He also claimed the police was not cooperating with Pesco in the matter which is why it has still not been resolved.
Published in The Express Tribune, February 10th, 2014.
The power supply to six villages of PK-13, Nowshera – the constituency which elected Chief Minister Pervez Khattak – was disconnected by Peshawar Electric Supply Company (Pesco) officials on Sunday.
According to Pesco subdivisional officer (SDO) Abbas Khan, the action was taken after villagers refused to pay their bills. “Despite multiple warnings, residents did not clear their outstanding dues, and the electricity supply was cut off to Doran, Mali Khel, Qasim Khel, Gul Dheri, Manahi and Pethao,” explained Khan.
The six villages owe the utility company a total of Rs2.5 million in unpaid bills, said Khan.
A majority of the villagers have not paid their bills since the past five years, shared the SDO. Pesco officials have been visiting the area for the last three months to convince them to pay up but to no avail.
Pesco had also sent a notification to the Nowshera police to arrest the defaulters, however, Azakhel, Akora Khattak and Nowshera Kalan police did not take any action.
“We gave them a list of 132 people, from the villages, who were stealing electricity and FIRs were lodged against them, but the police failed to arrest even a single person,” said Khan.
Forcing PESCO’s hand?
Pesco chief Tariq Sadozai had directed the utility’s Nowshera officials to cut off supply to villages where 60% residents refused to pay bills, stated Khan. After the order, Pesco officials visited the villages once again to convince villagers to pay up but they refused; forcing the officials to take away their electricity meters.
“Following this, the villagers installed kundas, forcing us to disconnect the supply even though a few people were paying their bills,” added Khan.
“It is not possible for us to supply electricity to just one or two houses,” he contended.
The SDO maintained the supply will remain disconnected until defaulters pay back what they owe the company.
He also claimed the police was not cooperating with Pesco in the matter which is why it has still not been resolved.
Published in The Express Tribune, February 10th, 2014.