LAHORE: Lahore Electric Supply Company (Lesco) teams on fourth day of the anti-power pilferage operation detected another 248 cases in the Lahore division. Teams also got three people involved in power theft arrested for offering resistance at the time of checking.

The teams, according to a spokesman for the company, also lodged complaints in writing to the respective police stations for registration of cases. Of 248 incidents, 126 FIRs were registered. The connections found being used for stealing electricity included one industrial, seven commercial, three agriculture and 237 domestic.

“All these connections were disconnected with removal of meters, transformers, material etc. The units charged for stealing electricity are 564,486 worth Rs25.771 million,” the spokesman maintained.

A few power thieves charged included: Muhammad Hayat Dogar who was charged 25,622 units worth Rs768,607; Muhammad Munir 25,000 units worth Rs600,000; Muhammad Ashfaq 17,000 units worth Rs85,000; Abdul Rasheed 15,000 units worth Rs420000, Muhammad Ramzan 6,018 units worth Rs240720; Zakir Hussain 4,929 units worth Rs327000; Sajid Munir 4,635 units worth Rs230,450; and Bashir Ahmad 4,500 units worth Rs202,500.

“During the ongoing operation, 1,061 people were found involved in the power theft so far. Up to 655 FIRs have been lodged till Sunday whereas 19 people were arrested,” the spokesman said, adding that total 3590045 units worth Rs150.44 million were charged.

Meanwhile, the Lesco admin says that the company has taken strict action against its eight officers - five executive engineers (EXENs), two sub-divisional officers (SDOs) and a line superintendent (LS) - for conniving in electricity theft and giving new power connection to a dead defaulter.

SDO Mehmood Alam Qureshi of Qila Sattar Shah area has been removed from service and Sheikhupura EXEN Rashid Soomro will not be considered for promotion in the next grade for two years.

Orders have also been issued for stopping annual increment of Manawala EXEN Muhammad Rizwan for one year.

After conducting a detailed inquiry, the company also took departmental action against Mohsin Ali of Gulshan Ravi (DDT Northern Circle) by demoting from EXEN to SDO.

Muzamil Hussain, Kot Abdul Maalik EXEN, will not be promoted for two years. Annual increment of EXEN Najamul Hasan has been stopped for one year whereas the promotion of Ali Abbas, SDO of Kot Abdul Maalik, has been stopped for two years. LS-1 Mirza Aqeel Baig, who was serving as Head Draftsman in Northern Circle, has been demoted to LS-2.

EXCISE: The Excise & Taxation Department of Punjab claims to have crossed another milestone in digital technology and made all motor vehicle tax payments online through bank or telecom channel.

Director General of Excise, Taxation and Narcotics Control Punjab Muhammad Ali said in a statement on Sunday that new computerized application will be launched in a phased manner from Monday (today) and it will not only help eliminate middlemen and touts but will also save citizens’ time to stand in long queues.

He said that by next week, the registration of the new vehicle can be done sitting at home. “The excise official will go to the owner himself for vehicle registration. After completing all the matters, the original file and smart card will be delivered at the doorstep of the owner,” he added.

Published in Dawn, September 11th, 2023