KARACHI, Dec 23: The Karachi Electric Supply Corporation’s (KESC) Vigilance, Surveillance and Theft Detection (STD) wing rounded up 13 persons from marriage halls, lawns and roadside wedding Shamianas in Clifton, Nazimabad, North Nizamabad and Gulshan-e-Iqbal, on charges of stealing electricity between Saturday-Sunday night.

About 200Kw electricity was being pilfered at the wedding ceremonies.

The highest power theft of 36.6Kw was detected at the Orchard Marriage Lawn in Clifton and a bill of Rs282,000 was charged from the owners, Hafizur Rehman and Umar Hayat Chohan.

Six marriage halls at Gulshan-e-Iqbal, namely A-one Heights of Muhammad Rafique, Scale Centre, Muhammad Siraj, Meet and Treat, Muhammad Ayub, Sitara Palace, Muhammad Asif, Mahwish Lawn, Kashif and Hashmat School Community Center, were fined for illegal illuminations which yielded a total sum of Rs235,000 for the KESC.

The team detected tempered meters at the Sky View Marriage Hall of North Nizamabad which was slowed by 74.3 per cent and arrested the owner and billed Rs106,000.

While, seven roadside Shamianas at Nazimabad and Gulshan were billed a total sum of Rs15,947 for single day use. Besides, power supply to seven houses was also disconnected for using hook connections.Supplementary bill is being issued to them.

The KESC management has strictly advised the teams that while performing their duty they should not disturb the wedding ceremonies or disconnect the power supply, which may cause embarrassment to the hosts.

The KESC spokesman has asked the hosts of the wedding ceremonies that they should first obtain legal electricity connection to save themselves form embarrassment.