KP govt crackdown against illegal housing societies for recovery

PESHAWAR, October 07 (ONLINE): In Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, it has been decided to launch strict crackdown against illegal housing societies as defaulter of billions in terms of paying of electricity bills and speed up the operation against commercial electricity consumers, including the recovery of electricity bills from the users of defaulter feeders in various districts of the province. Orders have been issued to district administrations and police officers across the province to ensure implementation of SOPs before registration of FIRs against electricity consumers.

Under the supervision of KP Task Force for energy, during a short period of single month operation more than 20 thousand 645 accused involved in Kunda Culture have been disconnected, while in terms of fines/arrears, more than Rs. 1.43 billion amount have been recovered and Rs. 110 million have been recovered from the electricity consumers involved in the heinous act.

Third important meeting of Provincial Task Force was held under the chairmanship of Additional Chief Secretary Home and Tribal Affairs Department. Mohammad Abid Majeed, the Head of Provincial Task Force for Energy, in which senior officials including Divisional Commissioners, Deputy Commissioners, District Police Officers, Representatives of Energy & Power and Industries departments and CEO PESCO were also attended the meeting.

It was told in the meeting that from 5th September, more than 10,406 raids were conducted in various districts of the province jointly by PESCO, district administration and police in streets, neighborhoods and bazaars, where large commercial hubs and factories involved in illegal use of electricity were raided. More than 20 thousand 645 connections of Kunda mafia including consumers were cut while cases were registered against more than 7080 accused by local police, amongst them 479 accused were also arrested.

Moreover, the Chairman Task Force Muhammad Abid Majeed emphasized that strict action should be taken against such housing colonies which have been established without government permission, where the customers have arrears of billions of rupees and big commercial customers are involved in power theft. The operation against big fish should also be speeded up. Recovery campaign against consumers in Bannu, Kohat, DI Khan and Mardan divisions should be done at the level of feeders and it was emphasized to speed up the ongoing targets, he added.

At the end, the Senior Joint Secretary, Power Division, Arshad Majeed, while issuing instructions to PESCO Chief, said that the procedure of collecting dues from defaulting customers in installments and the process of motorization should be accelerated and all company’s officers should spend all their energies in achieving the recovery targets. He expressed satisfaction with the performance of PESCO and paid tribute to the administration of all the districts including the head of the provincial task force for establishing excellent performance and coordination on the national issue.