KARACHI, July 9: The situation arising out of the power crisis in the metropolis and ways and means to cope with it came under discussion at a meeting held under the chairmanship of City Nazim Naimatullah Khan here on Wednesday.

The meeting was attended, among others, by DCO Mir Hussain Ali, Nazims of all the towns, MD of KESC Brig Tariq Saddozai and senior KESC officials.

Naimatullah Khan told the participants that the objective of this meeting was to take stock of public complaints pertaining to breakdowns and disruption in electric supply as well as find ways and means to improve the situation. He stressed that there should be an improvement in the working of KESC so that the crisis could be overcome.

All the town Nazims have been invited so that the KESC bosses could be apprised of the electricity-related problems in their respective areas and concerted steps taken to resolve them, the Nazim said.

He pointed out that electricity was among the basic amenities provision of which was the responsibility not only of the KESC but also the city government and town administrations who all should play an active role for the purpose in cooperation with the people.

He held out the assurance that the problems brought before the meeting would be resolved and hoped that the KESC would bring about an improvement in its performance with the cooperation of the elected representatives.

Mr Khan pointed out that while the city government had succeeded in resolving certain major problems, it would strive to solve the electricity problem as well.

Mir Hussain Ali informed the meeting that every town would carry out a joint survey for the payment of bills pertaining to street lights. He told the managing director of the KESC to provide details of deduction by the provincial government in the arrears of power dues to the town administrations. He said that the issue of payment of octroi and tax by the KESC would be settled in the light of the Supreme Court decision.

Brig Saddozai assured the meeting of sincere efforts towards a normal power supply within the available resources. He attributed lack of investment in the corporation to the government’s policy with regard to the privatization of KESC. This, he claimed, had caused a delay in the availability of resources, equipment and machinery.

“Now, the government will make investment over the next three years enabling the KESC to streamline itself on modern lines,” he said, adding that power supply on commercial rates was a federal subject whereas 30 per cent non-burning allowance had been done away with.

Brig Saddozai said that payment regarding street lights would be decided as per the joint survey by the town administrations and the KESC. He said kunda (hook) system would be eliminated with the help of the town administrations and people would be provided connections under one-window operation. He said that charges for the installation of new meters would be recovered in instalments and complaints about meters running fast would be redressed.

He said that mobile vans of meter-testing personnel would demonstrate performance of the new meters as well as the old ones in public to convince the consumers that there was no harm in replacing the meters and getting them installed outside consumer’s premises.

A smooth power supply to pumping stations was particularly stressed by the Nazims.

It was decided that a defaulter, arrested for failing to pay his bill, could be got released by the concerned Nazim on the guarantee by the concerned Association but only after payment of the bill.—APP/PPI