LAHORE: Lahore Electric Supply Company (Lesco) Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Engineer Shahid Haider has suspended 16 employees of the company’s Kasur circle from duty over corruption, especially for abetting the consumers in electricity theft.

The officials were also found negligent in performance of their duties and recovery of dues from the defaulters. A departmental inquiry has also been launched against them.

“A strict departmental action has been taken against 16 officials and officers in Kasur circle. A line superintendent (LS), a lineman, three assistant linemen, 10 meter readers and an acting meter inspector, who were posted in various sub-divisions of Kasur circle, have been taken to task,” the Lesco CEO said while talking to the media on Saturday.

During the inspection, he mentioned, 16 employees were found involved in facilitating electricity thieves and neglecting their duties and all of them had been suspended from service while cases had also been registered against two officials.

Mr Haider said the electricity theft was a national crime and electricity thieves were harming not only the institution but also the people.

Meanwhile, according to a spokesman, the Lesco teams have detected another 79 power-theft cases. He said the company had also been taking indiscriminate action against the electricity thieves whether they were politicians, officers, influential or popular figures in all its five districts of operation (Lahore, Sheikhupura, Nankana Sahib, Kasur and Okara). The spokesman said that during the operation, many influential figures, including former MPAs and MNAs, were found involved in the electricity theft and added that no pressure was being accepted and action was going on against all the electricity thieves indiscriminately.

SNGPL: During the ongoing crackdown against gas pilferers, the SNGPL in Lahore disconnected eight connections on illegal use of gas and another five on the use of compressors and imposed fines.

According to a press release, six connections were severed for use of compressor in Bahawalpur, another five on illegal use of gas while two FIRs were registered. The company disconnected two connections on similar charges in Multan, 18 in Sheikhupura, nine in Sialkot, two in Sargodha, eight in Gujranwala, five in Gujrat, four in Sahiwal and seven in Faisalabad.

Published in Dawn, October 1st, 2023