KARACHI, Aug 28: Seven of the 18 towns of Karachi have been given the facility to clear their KESC dues in instalments. In this regard, Adviser to the Chief Minister on Finance M. A. Jalil held a meeting with nazims and officials of four towns and discuss the issue with them.

On the town nazims’ request, the adviser decided that the Lyari, North Nazimabad, Liaquatabad and New Karachi towns would clear their power dues in 48 instalments, Malir and Orangi towns in 36 instalments and Landhi town in 24 instalments.

Mr Jalil asked the city government to accelerate its campaign for recovery of dues and advised town nazims to replace ordinary bulbs with energy savers to conserve electricity and ensure affordable bills.

The nazims strongly criticised performance of the KESC and told the adviser that many electricity meters in their towns were lying out of order. They said that power theft through kundas fixed in streetlights cables was rampant and this was one of the reasons for bulbs going out of order.

They also complained of inflated bills being issued to town administrations, pointing out that meter reading was not being done.

The nazims said that the KESC would install poles and also carry out digging of roads for the purpose without their permission. It would even install towers to erect high-tension lines in a similar manner, they added.

They wondered that the KESC would add charges of removing a poll or cable in public interest to the bill issued to the concerned town.

The nazims told the adviser that there were some KESC poles and towers causing hindrances in the construction of flyovers.

After hearing their grievances, the adviser assured them that the same would be addressed in public interest. He asked the consultant of his department, Aijaz Nabi Abbasi, to take appropriate measures in this regard.

He also asked the nazims to take up the issues relating to unauthorised digging and installation of poles and towers with the concerned KESC executives and issue legal notices.

Mr Abbasi told the meeting that according to a Supreme Court verdict, the KESC was bound to pay octroi for bringing electricity from outside to anywhere within the CDGK limits. However, he pointed out, it had not been paying the octroi to the city government.—PPI