16 February 2004	Monday	24 Zilhaj 1424

HYDERABAD, Feb 15: The Sindh government continues to default on Hesco dues of Rs1.736 billion though its consultant claims that the provincial finance department has released funds to departments for payment of the dues.

It was learnt on Saturday that the consultant to the Sindh government, Aijaz Nabi Abbas, had written to the secretaries of different departments that the funds had been released by the finance department and field offices should be directed to pay reconciled electricity dues minus late payment surcharge.

The directive was issued after a meeting between the Sindh chief secretary and Wapda chairman on Jan 5 to ensure early payment of dues. It was decided in the meeting that the Sindh government departments would immediately pay 70 per cent of the power but it had not been done.

Hesco had earlier disconnected power supply to different government departments including essential services after making repeated requests to these departments to clear the dues.

An official of Hesco said current billing of the Sindh government departments for January stood at Rs333 million against which only Rs140 million were paid.

As per the break-up, provincial government owed Rs356.580 million, autonomous bodies Rs107.776 million, district governments Rs136.342 and Taluka Municipal Administrations (TMAs) Rs1077.884 million.

He claimed the situation in respect of TMAs dues was alarming which was evident from the fact that of total dues - Rs 1.736 billion - they would have to pay Rs1.077 billion.

Of autonomous bodies Sida owed Rs118.166 million, the Hyderabad Development Authority Rs44.682, the Sindh Road Transport Board Rs1.023 million, the Sindh Seed Corporation 0.596 million, the Sindh Small Industries Rs0.542 million, the Board of Intermediate and Secondary Education Hyderabad Rs0.200 million and the Sindh Transport Services Rs0.002 million.

The official added that the Sindh government made the payment at source deduction but even then the payment was delayed which would force Hesco to disconnect power supply to all the defaulting departments.

In case of power supply cut to WASA, the city will face a water crisis as the whole cycle of filing of water turbine gets reversed, according to WASA officials.