ISLAMABAD, May 31: Stung by Islamabad Electricity Supply Company's action of cutting power supply to its headquarters, the Capital Development Authority on Tuesday declared 30 buildings and installations of Iesco and Wapda in the city as “illegal” and liable to fine.

“This time we are serious in taking action against violation of civic laws by power supply departments,” Tahir Shamshad, CDA's member planning, told Dawn , disclosing that notices had been served on “the concerned department”.

It is for the second time in six weeks that Iesco angered CDA bosses by cutting off electricity supply to its various offices to recover Rs1.1 billion from CDA in unpaid electricity bills.

Unlike issuing a hollow threat, the top bosses this time decided to hit back and issued notices to the relentless Iesco, and its parent organisation Wapda, “to regularise the illegal buildings” in their occupation and pay fine for the illegality done so far.

It is learnt they ordered a list be prepared of such buildings and notices issued immediately.

The list prepared includes Wapda's Rawal Rest House, established on a vast land at Dhokri Chowk, which has become controversial for unauthorised use as residence of Wapda chairman has also been constructed. The list also includes an Iesco store in sector G-7 in a park on more than one acre, another store in sector I-8 and additional construction in H-9 grid station.

After the power supply was suspended on Tuesday, the city bosses were compelled to use power generators. Without regular power supply, the working at the authority's headquarters suffered, as a large number of complainants were not entertained.

It is feared that Iesco may also cut power supply of streetlights in reaction to the CDA's move, plunging main roads and streets into darkness.

“CDA had only given permission for grid stations at several locations but residential units and offices have been established there without approval,” said Mr Shamshad.He said Iesco had taken land at many locations from the CDA but paid nothing. On the other hand, it charged the authority for installing grid stations and laying transmission lines.

The official said Iesco had given its building near Zero Point to the Urdu University on rent, terming it a violation of CDA rules. He added it was a case of “non conforming use of commercial building”.

But Farooq Ahmed, spokesman for Iesco, said his department had cut power supply of the CDA after its outstanding dues have crossed Rs1.1 billion.

About the CDA's action to declare some of the installations of Wapda and Iesco illegal, he said his department has thus far not received any such notice. “Once the notices are served, we will see what to do.” He declined to comment on Rawal Rest House as it belonged to Wapda.

Requesting anonymity, a senior official in the Ministry of Water and Power said the rest house and the residence of Wapda chairman were built after the land was acquired for the grid station.

Mr Ahmed said Iesco had served many notices to CDA for payment of dues. “We had also given an advertisement in national dailies warning all defaulters to pay their outstanding dues. Otherwise action will be taken against them.” Iesco had declared the authority a major defaulter in its region.

Ramzan Sajid, spokesman for the CDA, said the authority was unable to pay “some dues”, regretting that electricity had been disconnected. He said most of the unpaid bills were related to streetlights. A senior CDA official in its finance wing accused the Iesco of sending inflated and unmeasured bills. “We are using every third streetlight to save energy even then Iesco is sending us bills of same amount.”