KARACHI, Dec 4: The Karachi Electric Supply Corporation (KESC) has directed various housing welfare associations of Gulistan-i-Jauhar, BL-19, that lies in the administrative jurisdiction of the Cantonment Board Shah Faisal, to “remove illegal streetlights installed on main electricity poles, regularise these illegal connections or be ready to face the consequences”.

Interestingly, the Bl-19 of Gulistan-i-Jauhar comes under the administrative control of the Faisal Cantonment Board and all such streetlights have been installed by the board

officials to facilitate the residents, for which it is already collecting several taxes from area people.

A KESC letter addressed to the presidents of various welfare associations of BL-19 states that the department has found streetlights in the area “directly connected, which is highly objectionable and illegal.”

The letter further advises the residents to remove all illegal connections which are directly connected or make arrangements to legalise them. It further warns that the KESC will charge these street lights on their water-pump meters or lift meters being used in housing schemes or projects.

Residents of the area argue that streetlights were installed by the Cantonment Board Shah Faisal at the time of developing their block, and it is charging heavy taxes for maintenance of roads, sanitation and installation of streetlights in their area.

If the KESC considers installation of these streetlights illegal, it should approach the board for of recovery of bills or making them legal instead of threatening the residents, they say.

They say that ever since the KESC set up a consumer centre in the area their life has become miserable as its officials, instead of removing illegal connections from encroached structures, are creating problems for the residents having legalised electricity connections.

“The majority of footpaths in BL-19 have been encroached upon by owners of shops and cabins who are using electricity through the Kunda, but nothing is being done about it. Instead, the residents of the area are being asked to remove streetlights from the roads or pay for that,” an area residents said.

An alliance of the welfare associations of the area has appealed to the executive

officer of the Cantonment Board Shah Faisal and the high-ups of the KESC to intervene and fix the matter, as nowhere in Pakistan residents are supposed to pay for treetlights.—PPI