LAHORE: The Lahore Electric Supply Company (Lesco) consumers in many areas are forced to deposit monthly bills with fine due to negligence of the sub-divisional officers (SDOs) and executive engineers.

The situation has been going on for the last five months or so and complaints by consumers about delayed distribution of bills and adjustment of amounts have fallen on deaf ears.

Lesco officials admit slackness and say they will ensure timely issuance of the bills.

“It is negligence on part of the Lesco officials who instead of resolving the issue ask the customers to collect bills from the SDO office,” says Imran, a resident of Mustafa Town, Wahdat Road.

“We have been depositing bills with fines for the last four to five months as there is no one to distribute the bills in our area,” he says.

Asghar, a shopkeeper of Abid Market, told Dawn that the traders had been facing a crunch time for the last many months.

“We are forced to deposit monthly electricity bills with fines and Lesco officials advise us to collect bills from the SDO office. This is height of apathy,” he said.

According to another shopkeeper, their complaints have been ignored by the officials.

Besides non-distribution of bills, consumers in many areas have been also receiving bills just a day or two before the last date.

“It is a common practice and leaves people in quandary,” Azhar, a resident of Wapda Town, said.

An SDO admitted the issue of delayed issuance of bills and claimed that he had already suspended a bill distributor from service.

“We have recently suspended a bill distributor on account of his negligence in Mustafa Town,” SDO Muhammad Jamshaid told Dawn.

Asked how would Lesco compensate the consumers forced to pay bills with fines after due date, he said the consumers should lodge a complaint in his office.

“We will surely compensate them if someone files a complaint,” he said.

A spokesperson for Lesco also said she would help resolve the issue within the next couple of days after taking it up with the customer service director.

Published in Dawn, October 6th, 2019