FAISALABAD: The inflated bill spectre has once again raised its ugly head, prompting people in parts of Punjab to vent anger against the power companies.

Scores of residents of Faisalabad’s Baowala area demonstrated on Jhang Road against the Faisalabad Electric Supply Company (Fesco) for issuing inflated bills.

The protesters chanted slogans against the government and the Fesco officials and blocked the road to traffic for more than one hour. They burnt electricity bills as a gesture of defiance.

Among the protesters was Muhammad Sarwar who claimed that he had received an electricity bill of Rs11,407 – much more than his monthly salary of Rs7,000.

Sarwar told reporters that he was a labourer and had received a bill he could not pay. He said he voted for Nawaz Sharif in the election hoping that he (the PM) would fulfill the promise of overcoming the electricity crisis but he was bitterly disappointed to see the situation.

Ghulam Ali, an elderly protester, said he had received the electricity bill of Rs9,000 that was beyond his financial capacity. He also criticised the government for bleeding the poor dry.

Also present was a widow, the mother of six daughters, who cried out against a bill of Rs5,500. “I have no option but to seek loan to pay the bill,” she said.

Meanwhile, industrialists and businessmen have decried unscheduled outages. Representatives of the Millat Industrial Estate Association (MIEA) expressed their dismay at the situation.

MIEA chairman Muhammad Akram Zia said the government was impervious to the plight of the industrial sector as any increase in loadshedding was diverted to factories and mills. He said Fesco officials had assured them at a meeting a few weeks ago that electricity supply to industry would be increased but nothing had been done so far.

Fesco chief Khurshid Ahmad Aslam said over-billing would not be tolerated and employees found involved in the malpractice would be sent packing. He said special counters had been set up at division level for correction of bills and other public complaints.

He admitted that some consumers of Bakar Mandi, Jhang Road and Shadab Colony had lodged complaints of inflated bills, however, special teams rectified the bills after checking the meters.

MULTAN: People protested against the Multan Electric Power Company (Mepco) for issuing inflated bills.A number of people gathered at Khayam Chowk and raised slogans alleging that Mepco had issued bills by adding up units beyond consumption. Some of them said the Mepco officials misbehaved with those visiting them for rectification of bills. The protesters threw traffic out of gear for more than two hours.

Residents of Shamsabad also staged a demonstration and hit out at the government for failing to solve the issues of the people. They said they would not pay the bills without correction.

At Wahdat Colony, many people turned up to express their displeasure at the attitude of the Mepco authorities. A similar protest was witnessed at Gujjar Khadda.

Published in Dawn, August 27th, 2014