September 12, 2008	Friday	Ramazan 11, 1429

HYDERABAD, Sept 11: District Nazim Kanwar Naveed Jamil on Thursday warned Hesco not to disconnect power supply to Wasa installations and restore the power where it had been cut off to help maintain peace and if any misstep led to law and order problem, the power utility would be held responsible for consequences.

The nazim who is also chairman of the governing body of the Hyderabad Development Authority said that disconnection of power supply to Wasa installations would seriously affect water supply and sewerage system.

He said in a press statement that the HDA had been under Sindh government since 1976 and the government had been paying its power bills since then. Throughout the province, the government was responsible for paying power bills of public health sector and the district government was responsible only for paying bills of TMAs, which it was paying regularly, he said.

He pointed out that Hesco had so far disconnected power supply to Jamshoro filter plant, Thandi Sarak pumping station, Unit No4 Latifabad, Affandi Town, Unit No6 and water and sewerage pumping stations in Paretabad, which had created an alarming situation in the areas.

HESCO DUES: Hyderabad DCO Ali Ahmed on Thursday formed 12 subcommittees with Hesco XENs and officers of district government departments as joint heads to settle dispute over arrears of 314 controversial connections to various district government facilities.

He said at a meeting on the settlement of Hesco dues held at his office that Sindh chief secretary had constituted a district committee headed by him and EDO finance and planning as secretary and stakeholders to settle the power dues issue.

He directed the subcommittees to undertake a joint survey to examine the status of each disputed meter in the prescribed form supplied to them and submit reports to the district committee within a week.

He directed the management of Hesco not to disconnect power supply until and unless the status of each meter had been verified. He also asked them not to disconnect power supply to any hospital without informing the hospital’s management and seeking permission from the district government. He asked the Hesco management to provide a list of disputed connections to the EDO of concerned department within 24 hours, so that a consolidated schedule of verification of electrical meters could be followed properly.

He directed that power bills must be submitted to the EDO concerned at least 15 days before the closing date of the payment so that it could be got cleared from treasury office and unnecessary surcharges on bills could be avoided.

He assured Hesco authorities that its genuine dues against the departments of district government would be cleared without further delay. All the EDOs of district government, electric inspectors and revenue and operation officers of Hesco attended the meeting.