I AM a senior citizen, a widow and living as a single occupant in my house. I use electricity sparingly and my use of the air-conditioner is almost negligible because I am an arthritis patient.

Like many other frustrated consumers, I am also receiving high and unjustified bills, the June bill showing almost 500 units. I have made numerous telephonic complaints and sent more than 15 emails to K-Electric billing department and its CEO, requesting them to check my meter.

But they have refused to do so. Instead, they asked me to visit their customer care centre for getting my bills corrected. I reminded them that the prime minister has asked senior citizens to stay home, but they are adamant that I should go to their overcrowded customer care centre, or they will not resolve my issue.

They have categorically refused to send their staff to check my electricity meter. I have provided them all documents and snapshots they asked for but with no results. Most reluctantly, I had to pay all bills.

It seems that either the government is unable to check the mismanagement in KE or does not want to get involved, leaving the people in miserable conditions for reasons better known to it.

Ever since the new management took over the power supply company, the efficiency of the organisation has drastically deteriorated in the absence of any checks by the government.

Power outages and loadshedding have no limits, while defective infrastructure is making its consumers miserable.

KE has never ever bothered to upgrade the system. Obviously, the private sector works on a one-point agenda — ‘maximise profits’ — at the cost of human sufferings.

The only option left is to nationalise KE. I would further suggest that a joint investigation team be formed to determine what is the inside story.

Shamim Sagheer
Karachi

Published in Dawn, July 15th, 2020