January 01, 2009	Thursday	Muharram 03, 1430

KARACHI, Dec 31: As last day of the year passed with prolonged power outages in many parts of the city, consumers resolved not to pay their electricity bills while the Karachi Electric Supply Company warned them of disconnection if they did not clear the dues.

Karachians endured long hours of load-shedding on Wednesday, as the KESC neither improved power generation nor paid any attention to consumers’ plight. As the foreign management of the privatised utility carried out load-shedding reportedly to save on fuel cost in the winter, there were growing apprehensions that the next summer would be the worst in terms of power supply to the city in its history.

Till 7pm on Wednesday, most localities came under four spells of one-hour-long power load-shedding while some parts of the city were subjected to even longer duration. Ironically, residents of different parts of the city received notices issued by the KESC along with monthly bills, warning that electricity would be disconnected if consumers failed to pay their bills.

The KESC did not generate more than 400 megawatts and continued to rely primarily on a major input from Wapda. However, the government did not take its notice and preferred not to intervene in the affairs of privatised utility. Three out of six KESC generating units at Bin Qasim remained closed reportedly because the utility planned to cut fuel cost. There was a total shortage of about 400 megawatts though the KESC spokesperson was not ready to put it beyond 250MWs.

The KESC management had earlier publicised that it would improve generation by bringing in rental power plants of 50-MW capacity at Haroonabad, besides increasing the production from a newly installed thermal power plant at Korangi. But the situation on ground remained grim for the aggrieved power consumers.

The year ended up with piling burden on KESC consumers who were not only deprived of electricity but were also penalised with inflated bills. The utility did nothing to check power theft and instead kept on increasing the tariff.

Representative bodies of small traders and businessmen have already launched protest campaigns against issue of exorbitant electricity bills and load-shedding.

Meanwhile, residents of Amil Colony complained that they were being deprived of electricity daily from 7pm to 8pm. They said it was unfortunate that the authorities concerned failed to ensure uninterrupted power supply during Muharram.