VEHARI, May 5: Scores of residents in the district have complained that Multan Electricity Power Company (a subsidiary of Wapda) officials have been extorting money in the shape of arrears for the last six months.

Dawn learnt on Sunday Mepco (Vehari circle) officials had been receiving inflated amounts from the consumers.

A consumer told this correspondent that he had always paid electricity bill of his residence within due date. However, he said, Mepco officials had charged Rs210 as arrears in April.

Advocate Mirza Ijaz Baig, Rana Muhammad Yameen of old bus stand, Muhammad Ali Bhatti of tehsil bazaar and many others complained they had so far paid hundreds of thousands of rupees as arrears. Some consumers alleged Mepco officials had been extorting money to achieve the recovery target before June 2002.

When contacted, Mepco Regional Officer Bilal Husain said the department’s audit team checked accounts thrice a year. During audit, he said, the team detected several mistakes in the preparation of monthly bills and arrears were, thus, added to achieve target.

A source in the department admitted extortion by Mepco was meant to ensure recovery.

Denying charges, Mepco XEN Abdul Mateen Khan said the arrears were detected by the audit team. The department was not extorting money, he insisted.

The consumers have urged the high-ups to take stock of the situation and direct the officials concerned to stop fleecing people.