LAHORE: Keeping in view rising consumers’ complaints, the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) has launched a thorough probe into overbilling by the Lahore Electric Supply Company (Lesco) in the service areas of Lahore, Kasur, Okara, Sheikhupura and Nankana Sahib.

“The inquiry was launched about six days before by the FIA. Respective superintendent engineers (SEs), executive engineers (EXENs), sub-divisional officers (SDOs) etc are being summoned by the FIA teams these days in connection with overbilling-related complaints,” an official source in Lesco told Dawn.

He said the FIA accessed the relevant record also to examine it and take action against those involved in the overbilling.

On the other hand, the consumers continue to receive inflated bills due to massive overbilling allegedly on the part of officers/officials concerned.

Various company officers summoned for inquiry during last one week

“Last month bill was over Rs2m despite the fact we have installed a solar system at our office. When we tallied the meter reading mentioned in the bill with our meter, there was a huge difference. We contacted the SDO who, after knowing the issue, reduced the bill to over Rs1.4m,” a consumer in Gulberg told Dawn.

He said when he told the SDO that the amount was still more than the actual reading, he refused to further reduce it. Meanwhile, the last date for bill payment approached and his company paid the bill.

“But it is still too much as over 4,000 units are still included in the bill without any logic,” he deplored, demanding the Lesco management take action.

It merits mentioning that the complaints related to overbilling in Lesco continue rising despite dismissal of several officials from service over the issue and other complaints.

In recent months, the Kot Khwaja Saeed SDO was sacked in light of a probe into four cases. He was found lodging FIRs illegally, charging the consumers detection bills under ‘ulterior’ motives, facilitating power theft and helping out defaulters through restoring power supply unlawfully and doing intentional delay in billing.

In another case, Safdarabad SDO was removed from service on account of facilitating the power theft whereas the Phoolnagar SDO faced dismissal over involvement in the billing fraud. The Bilal Ganj SDO was sacked for installing illegal connections whereas the Allama Iqbal Town SDO and Mahmood Booti SDO faced dismissal for receiving bribe.

The Kahna SDO was sacked because of installing electricity connections in the unelectrified areas and fleecing the consumers through overbilling.

The Ali Razabad SDO was removed from service on account of overbilling whereas the Qila Sattar Shah SDO faced action after he was found involved in facilitating electricity theft by a steel manufacturing factory.

Published in Dawn, March 30th, 2024