The powerless record their outrage
Protesters from Tajpura, Ghaziabad, Manawan, Samanabad, Daroghewala, Chowk Yateem Khana, Bhabra Market Naseerabad, Taxali Chowk, Sanda, Sukh Nehar Mughalpura and Wagha shouted slogans against Lahore Electric Supply Company and the government in their areas.
They demanded withdrawal of “extra charges” from their bills.
Protesters blocked roads at Lyrics Cinema Stop and Yateem Khana Chowk on Multan Road, Bund Road (near Shezan Factory) and main boulevards of Gulshan-i-Ravi and in Samanabad.
Protesters gathered around a Lesco sub-divisional office in Tajpura and tried to break into the office. Lesco officials, however, fled the office to avoid protesters’ wrath. Ghaziabad police did not let the protesters in the office.
The mob pelted police with stones leaving a constable injured.
“My electricity bill for Sept is Rs2,500, while the last month’s bill was Rs1,150,” said Khalid Masood, of Tajpura. Mr Masood, an electrician, said the inflated bill had upset his domestic budget.
In Samanabad Town, around 400 residents, of Ali Park, Jafaria Colony, Sikandria Colony, Saddiqia Colony, Sodiwal, Mohajirabad, Umer Park and Gulgasht Colony gathered outside the UC-88 office and protested inflated bills.
Nawankot police was called in by UC Nazim Saeed Ahmed Khan to avoid any untoward situation.
A protester, who identified himself Muhammad Saleem, of Shah Kamal in Wahdat Colony, told Dawn he had received Rs3,681 electricity bill for Sept issued by Rehmanpura sub-division.
According to the break-up of number of slabs, he said, surcharges and television fee, he was to be charged Rs3,111.
“It means that Wadpa is over-charging its consumers without mentioning hidden charges, which is eye-opener for the government,” he said.
A group of 150 people, led by UC-92 Nazim Shoaib Khan Niazi, blocked Chowk Yateem Khana on Multan Road in protest against “over-billing”.
The mob chanted slogans against President Asif Ali Zardari and warned Federal Minister for Water and Power Raja Pervez Ashraf to resolve the problem in eight days or they would take to the streets again.
Later, the mob arrived at the UC-88 nazim office where the Lesco Gulshan-i-Ravi executive engineer assured the protesters of correcting complaints in a day.
Iqbal Town division SP Captain Sohail Chauhdry (retired) told Dawn police had collected electricity bills from protesters, who had gathered at Yateem Khana Chowk and Sanda, and submitted those to LESCO officials in the presence of union council nazims.He said protesters were asked to avoid violence as their grievances would be redressed soon.
Police remained active and vigilance on Tuesday after the SSP (operations) had directed divisional SPs to maintain law and order in connection with protest by power consumers against over-billing.
Residents of Friends Colony, Janak Nagar and Bastami Road protested outside the UC-102 nazim office. Model Town division SP Rai Ejaz told Dawn that around two dozen residents of Gopal Nagar gathered near a LESCO office at Bhabra Market, Ferozepur Road and lodged their protest against extra bills.
Also, over a dozen members of the Help Poor Woman and Child Organization held a protest demonstration against power-outages outside Lahore Press Club against. They demanded that the government end uncalled load-shedding and build Kalabagh Dam.