29 September 2004	Wednesday	13 Shaban 1425

PESHAWAR, Sept 28: Tribal Electric Supply Company's (Tesco) Chief Executive Officer Hidayatullah Kundi has said the company was facing a loss of Rs800 million to Rs850 million every month due to the law and order situation in Fata.

He was briefing NWFP Governor Syed Iftikhar Hussain Shah on the power company's operations in Fata and the Frontier Regions (FRs) here on Tuesday. Mr Kundi said that 35 grid stations were providing 550mw of power to Fata areas, in addition of 120 feeders and 7,883km-long high transmission and 5,999km-long low transmission lines operational in the areas.

He said about 14,925 transformers had been installed in these areas which were providing power to 261,708 consumers. He said about 1,300 Tesco staffers had been posted to ensure smooth supply of electricity to the people in tribal areas.

The Tesco chief executive said that 71 feeders of 11kv and 38 power transformers were overloaded in Fata. He said Rs281.11 million were outstanding against 38 government departments in Fata.

The governor expressed concern over the losses suffered by Tesco and directed the authorities concerned to provide maximum assistance to the company's staff for installation of meters at consumers' residences.

He also directed Tesco not to energize newly electrified villages in Fata until the tribal people gave an undertaking that they would install power meters and pay electricity bills. He said that non-payment of electricity dues was a criminal offence.

The governor said the political administration of each agency would provide a 10-member team which would jointly work with Tesco staff to ensure removal of illegal transformers. The governor directed the Tesco authorities not to provide any industrial connection in Fata.