RAWALPINDI, Feb 19: Iesco has snapped power connections of several departments, including the Rawalpindi Cantonment Board, for failing to pay outstanding dues.

The operation, which was announced by the Iesco executive director a few days ago, was supposed to be carried out on Tuesday, but had been delayed due to heavy rain.

The departments whose electricity supply has been suspended, include the Rawalpindi Cantonment Board, Tehsil Municipal Administration (TMA), Public Health Engineering Department, Wasa, RDA etc. Supply to street lights, slaughter houses and rest houses of the two civic bodies has also been stopped.

“We have orders to disconnect power connections of all offices that had defaulted, except hospitals and departments falling under the defence ministry. We have started the operation which will continue till the dues have been cleared,” Superintendent Engineer Habib Ali Bangash told Dawn. Mr Bangash said electricity supply to the remaining installations would also be suspended if these failed to pay the arrears. Even if they pay 75 per cent of the outstanding dues, their supply would be restored, he added.

The electricity of the TMA and some of its street lights had been disconnected about two weeks ago. More disconnections are to follow if no positive response comes from the Tehsil officials.

The TMA officials argued that they were not supposed to make any payment as it was the responsibility of the Punjab government’s finance department to pay all the bills from its share of property tax and excise duties that were being collected directly.

On the other hand, the RCB has shown severe reaction to Iesco’s move and termed it totally illogical and unwarranted.

The board’s executive officer, Khawaja Iftikhar Mir, said the amount being claimed by the electricity supply company was unjustified.

Their bills were inflated, and we had asked the officials concerned several times to rationalize them, he said. He said they were now planning to request the higher authorities in the defence ministry to take up the matter with the Wapda chairman as many meetings had been held, but the Iesco officials did not show any positive response.

He also made counter claims of Rs444 million that the power company owed to the RCB on account of unpaid property tax for its different offices, ground and line rents for the installations, in the jurisdiction of the civic body, in use of the power company.

He said they had been paying Rs5 million per month that included the current electricity bills and arrears, but still Iesco had taken this harsh step.

The civic body also plans to take over its building near Marir Hassan that Iesco has been operating as its main office. It had been taken on lease from the RCB, but the lease expired about 10 years ago, and since then it has not been renewed.

“We have the capability to take the building in our possession, but it will be used as a last option,” the RCB executive officer said.