LAHORE, Dec 17: Water and Power Development Authority (Wapda) on Monday told the Lahore High Court that 90 per cent payment had been made to Independent Power Producers (IPPs) which decreased the loadshedding.

Through its counsel the authority further told the court that the remaining amount of Rs21 billion would be paid to IPPs within the next six months.

At this Chief Justice Umar Ata Bandial remarked it appeared that the issue of electricity loadshedding was linked to financial problems of the authority. He observed that loadshedding could be done away with if Wapda focused on recovery instead of over-billing.

Wapda’s counsel Advocate Khwaja Tariq Rahim sought more time to file reply about the loadshedding. The CJ adjourned hearing till Jan 16, 2013.

The CJ was hearing a petition against unannounced electricity loadshedding and exemption to VVIPs.

Judicial Activism Panel Chairman Azhar Siddique filed the petition and submitted that Punjab was being subjected to discrimination and given less electricity share.

He said in other provinces, electricity theft was rampant and bill recovery low even then Punjab was being victimised in power load management plan. He pointed out that the power production was being affected due to non-recovery of bills from other provinces.