ISLAMABAD: The Senate Standing Committee on Power was informed here on Thursday that cases against around 20,000 employees belonging to several electricity distribution companies had been filed for abetting in power theft.

The committee, chaired by Senator Fida Muham­mad, was also informed by special secretary of power division Hassan Nasir Jami that delays were being faced by the power division in taking action against these employees because of slow action by distribution companies.

The committee was informed that Rs150 million had been recovered from electricity defaulters over the past six months.

Rs150m has been recovered from electricity defaulters over past six months, Senate panel told

Officials of distribution companies told the committee of their problems in carrying out instructions of the power division. Senior officials of the Lahore Electric Supply Company [Lesco] said that a case had been filed against a local steel mill owner for electricity theft of over Rs110 million.

However, even after the vacation of the LHC stay taken by the owner of the steel mill, the Punjab police were still reluctant to take action and arrest owners of the steel mills.

The committee was further informed that a comprehensive plan was being prepared by the power division and electricity distribution companies to reduce cases of power theft.

When members of the committee asked why electricity for up to 12 hours was being provided to feeders with high number of cases of power theft, the officials concerned informed the committee that policy decisions were made by the federal cabinet, but when members of the committee pressed further for more details, it was revealed by the officials that the power division had failed to forward the summary to the federal cabinet in this regard.

The committee directed the power division to forward the summary to the Cabinet Committee on Energy that electricity supply should be limited to only two hours a day to areas that fell in high theft feeders.

Senator Noman Wazir demanded that plans being prepared to reduce electricity theft should be realistic and financially viable for consumers.

The committee was informed that the Peshawar Electric Supply Company [Pesco] had been granted permission to conduct a survey for laying 3,000 kilometres of smart cables, while smart cables and digital meters were also being installed in Lesco and the Islamabad Electric Supply Company [Iesco].

Published in Dawn, December 28th, 2018