Islamabad: The national assembly standing committee on Energy (Power Division) has expressed its concern on non payment of electricity bills by irrigation and power departments of government of Sindh causing loss to the Power Distribution companies in Sindh.
The Committee asked CEOs of Sukkur Electricity Supply Company and Hyderabad Electricity Supply Company and Secretaries of Finance, Irrigation and Power Departments Government of Sindh to sit together and reconcile the figure and arrange payment to save the electricity companies from recurring losses.
The Committee met tunder the chairmanship of Mr. Muhammad Idrees, MNA in Parliament House, Islamabad.
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The Committee was apprised that the irrigation department solely owe Rs.617 million to Sukkur Electric Supply Company and Rs.125 million to Hyderabad Electric Supply Company on account of electricity supplied to SCARP tube wells, offices and irrigation colonies.
The Secretaries of the Irrigation and Power Departments contended that government did not owe bills of irrigation colonies besides both the electricity companies had been time and again requested to bring the residents of irrigation colonies into their metering network however action from them was awaited.
They further informed that only two irrigation colonies in HESCO region,individual meters had been installed. The Committee was further apprised that the Government of Sindh was ready to reconcile the figures and pay the billed amount. The Secretary Sindh Finance Department informed the Committee about the amounts released to both the electricity supply companies on account of bills.
The Committee taking severity of the issue decided to Constitute a sub Commitree under the convenership of Syed Wasim Hussain, MNA to discuss and suggest way forward for resolution of the issue of non payment of electricity bills and disconnection of power causing problems for local population and agriculture sector.
The Committee appreciated the action taken by the Ministry for absorption of surplus employees of GENCOs in electricity distribution companies. The Committee also asked the ministry to take all possible steps for meeting the shortage of staff in HAZECO. The CEO of the company apprised the Committee that Company Board had already approved hiring of local human resource through third party thus the issue of shortage of staff would be addressed in coming days.
The Committee while discussing issues regarding non electrification of Housing societies in Sector E11, Islamabad which posses the required no objection certificates from CDA, directed the IESCO to abide by its commitments and provide connections without further delay.
The IESCO chief apprised that the company had already electrified different housing societies in the sector and was committed to provide electricity connections subject to fulfilment of procedural requirements and NOCs from the Civic Agency.
The meeting was as attended by Minister for Energy(Power Division), MNAs Syed Nausheen Ifthikhar, Mr. Sheryar Mahar, Raja Qamar ul Islam, Syed Wasim Hussain, rana Mohammad Hayat, Secretary Power Division, CEOs of DISCOS and other officers of concerns departments.
