July 19, 2002	Friday	Jamadi-ul-Awwal 8, 1423

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PESHAWAR, July 18: The Water and Power Development Authority (Wapda) has set up Tribal Electricity Supply Company (Tesco) to specifically deal with the Federally Administered Tribal Areas (Fata), according to a press release issued here on Thursday.

The newly set up company has been necessitated to speed up the process of meter installation in Fata, execution of development works in the tribal belt and recovery of monthly electricity bills, besides improving Wapda’s affairs concerning Fata.

According to the press release, Wapda is suffering around Rs800 million financial losses every month due to non-payment of monthly electricity charges by the tribal consumers. Several of the marble industry owners in Fata have illegally taken connections directly from the electricity polls installed in the tribal areas, says Wapda.

“Despite the fact that Wapda is suffering Rs800m losses every month, it has neither abandoned the development works nor stopped electricity supply to the tribal areas.”

Out of the total 12,348 electricity transformers installed in Fata, 7,088 have been installed by Wapda whereas the remaining 5,260 have been illegally installed by the tribesmen on their own — without satisfying the set procedures.

Wapda has recorded smooth progress in its meter installation campaign and removing the illegal connections ever since the Tesco started operations, says the press release.

The company has also confiscated illegal 20-foot high heating rods, illegal tanoors (meant for baking bread) operated by electricity and other items which were being used on electricity without paying monthly bills.

Quoting Pesco chief executive Brig Khalid Khan, the press release says he told a visiting team of journalists from Lahore that Wapda would complete the meter installation campaign in Fata at all costs. “In this respect, provincial governor Syed Iftikhar Hussain Shah has assured his full cooperation to Wapda to make its campaign a success.