HYDERABAD, May 30: Hesco chief executive Tariq Arshad has said that the power distribution system is being strictly monitored and leaves of company officials have been cancelled to streamline the system.

He was briefing over 25 members of the Sindh Assembly from Hyderabad, Thatta, Badin, Mirpurkhas, Tharparkar and Sanghar districts at the Hyderabad Gymkhana here on Thursday.

The Hesco chief said that the power transmission system in Sindh was 30 years old and a record amount of Rs670 million was being spent to revamp the entire system.

Giving details, he said that 60,000 insulators of high tension line had been replaced and 632 distribution transformers had been installed.

He said that six new grid stations had been commissioned to improve the system in Nooriabad, Sultanabad, Shikarpur, Nawabshah SITE, Mirwah Gorchani and Miro Khan. He hoped that it would eliminate complaints about low voltage and power breakdowns in that areas.

Answering a question, Mr Arshad said that as announced by the prime minister, a list of 100 villages for electrification had been received by the company and added that funds for this purpose would be provided by the federal government.

He appealed to MPAs to help stop power theft and promote the bill payment culture, ensure non-interference of unconcerned people in the affairs of the company and removal of misgivings about crystal meters.

He rejected the notion that white crystal meters were 30 per cent faster than the old ones and insisted that if it was proved, the meters would be changed.

Referring to the complaints of the excessive billing made by the business community of Hyderabad, he announced that a committee consisting of MPAs Aslam Pervez, Zahid Ali Bhurgari, Arshad Shah, Abdur Rehman Rajput, Ms Nuzhat Pathan and Hesco officials had been appointed to conduct an investigation in the matter.