KARACHI: The ongoing tug of war between the K-Electric and the Karachi Water and Sewerage Board is disturbing the life of the common citizen who is facing acute water shortage in addition to extended hours of loadshedding during a harsh summer, but as the KWSB urged the provincial authorities to look into the matter of loadshedding at their installations, the KE seemed determined to hold its ground in the face of KWSB’s non-payment of dues claimed by the power utility.

The Sindh government said that action would be taken against the K-Electric for carrying out loadshedding at the KWSB pumping stations in violation of a court order, resulting in water crisis in the city. However, the KE said that the KWSB’s failure to make the payment was liable to disconnection of electricity under the Electricity Act, 1910. Yet the power utility did not disconnect the electricity of any of the KWSB’s connections, the KE added.

Water supply to the city has been stopped since Tuesday evening for three days after a 72-inch diameter pipeline at the Dhabeji pumping station burst due to a four-hour power outage there as well as at the Gharo, Pipri, Hub and NEK pumping stations.

KWSB Managing Director Hashim Raza Zaidi appealed to the KE to refrain from suspending power supply to the pumping stations because it affected the schedule of water supply to the city areas. “As Karachi was facing a shortage of 560mgd [million gallon water a day] and now there is an added shortfall of 175mgd until the pipeline is repaired,” he said, adding that loadshedding at the Gharo and Pipri pumping stations since Wednesday morning caused yet another shortage of 70mgd.

It is feared that such a severe shortage of water supply to Karachi may also force the people to come out of their homes and protest, causing a breakdown of law and order. Karachi Commissioner Shoaib Ahmed Siddiqui told Dawn that his office was coordinating with the KWSB and the KE to ensure uninterrupted water supply to the city. “I have deliberations from the KE where they say that the pumping stations are exempted from loadshedding. But I received a call from Sindh Minister for Information and Local Government Sharjeel Memon asking me to take notice of KE’s going against their word. When I checked if that was true, I found that they were carrying out loadshedding after a decision taken by their board. I immediately called up their CEO to educate him about the inconvenience caused to the citizens of Karachi due to their decision.

“I also got a letter of settlement for Rs4.410 billion from the energy department secretary for adjustment against dues of 17 operations and critical connections of the KWSB from July 2014 to April 2015, so now there is no reason for such loadshedding.

“Although we acknowledge KE’s good work, we do not want unnecessary protests in the city. KWSB is an essential service after all. I wrote a letter to the KE to kindly review and reverse their decision as stopping water supply is anyway not allowed according to law. The KE should not take the government lightly,” he said, expressing the hope that the power utility would in good faith provide the water utility a zero balance certificate after the payment of Rs4.410 billion.

Earlier, Sindh Minister for Information and Local Government Sharjeel Memon had said the KE was breaking the law by carrying out loadshedding at KWSB’s pumping stations. He also said that this action could result in litigation against KE’s management.

But after receiving the letter of settlement, the KE wrote to the energy department to note that KWSB was a chronic defaulter of electricity charges and KE had no other choice but to deal with them this way. “At present [KWSB] owes an amount of Rs36.87 billion to the KE on account of outstanding electricity dues against 319 connections. In the current financial year alone, KWSB consumed electricity worth Rs6.649 billion. However, only a meagre amount of Rs25 million was paid by the KWSB in the current financial year,” the KE stated.

The power utility informed the energy secretary that the total dues outstanding against 17 connections referred by him were Rs29.25 billion. While KWSB’s failure to make the payment was liable for disconnection of electricity under the Electricity Act, 1910, such connections had not been disconnected to date in compliance with the order (dated 24,4,2012) passed by the Sindh High Court, which was presently in appeal in the Supreme Court of Pakistan.

“This has put serious liquidity constraints on KE ... As a result of the current situation, KE is unable to provide uninterrupted power to KWSB. However, it is making every possible effort to provide maximum electricity to KWSB and is complying with the orders of the Honourable Court. Kindly note that till date KE has not disconnected or even attempted to disconnect the electricity of any of KWSB’s connections.

“As regards the adjustment of electricity duty and adjustment of a zero balance certificate, you are informed that the total outstanding dues of 17 connections mentioned by you stands at Rs29.25 billion and as such we are unable to provide a zero balance certificate against the said connections upon adjustment of Rs4,410 million. You are further informed that even the outstanding dues against the 17 connections for the period of July 2014 to April 2015 stand at Rs5.26 billion and not Rs4.410 billion as stated by you. Moreover, it is important to clarify that the alleged amount of Rs7.8 billion claimed by you on account of electricity duty has been claimed for a period covering at least eight years.

“In the circumstances, we request the Sindh government and the KWSB to cooperate with us and promptly release the outstanding dues pertaining to KWSB and ensure payment of future current bills,” read the letter to the energy department by KE’s Chief Distribution Officer Syed Mohammad Taha.

Published in Dawn, May 7th, 2015

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