MIANWALI, July 2: The local Wapda authorities have devised a new method to cover up line losses — issuing huge detection bills.

A large number of consumers complained to this scribe that Wapda staff allegedly tampered with meters and provided direct supply to the influential people and to those from whom they received huge sums. Their corruption caused heavy line losses to the authority, and to meet the losses they issued detection bills to every noble consumer.

They claimed that the Mianwali XEN never tried to redress their complaints or correct the bills. Instead, he only offered to make instalments, they added.

When contacted, the XEN said the detection bills were sent to those consumers whose meters were found faulty by the inspection teams.

A few days ago head of an inspection team, Liaquat Ali, was caught by another team with a slow meter installed on his residence. The team also recovered old meters and instruments from his house used for tampering with meters. He has reportedly been suspended from the service and an inquiry was in progress against him. The consumers have urged the Wapda chief to probe the matter and take action against the staff concerned.