LAHORE: Complaints related to flaws in electricity bill distribution, such as dishing out bills after the due date, and issuing excessive detection bills on the pretext of faulty meters, are not being addressed by the Lahore Electric Supply Company (Lesco).

“For the last couple of years, we have been receiving our monthly bill after the passage of the due date,” Imran, of Abid Market, told Dawn. “So, most of the time, we deposit our bills with a fine. Whenever we lodge complaint with Lesco, they (the officials) clearly tell us to pay bills online.”

Some consumers said even though they would pay bills on time, Lesco staff would pester them with calls. “I always pay my bill on time but every time, officials call me to pay the bill,” a consumer from the Kasur rural area. “They also threaten me with disconnecting power supply in case of non-payment.”

Another consumer had a similar complaint. “Normally, Lesco officials call or visit those premises which involve bills with arrears. Now, they have now started calling even those consumers who pay bills on time. It is ridiculous.”

A Lesco official in Kasur confirmed the issue and said, “Yes, we call and remind consumers to pay bills each month. And we are doing this as per direction of our senior officers.” He said calls were reserved only for industrial consumers receiving bill of Rs5,000 or above. “Sometimes, other consumers (domestic, commercial) too are also called,” he added.

However, the respective Lesco sub-divisional officer (SDO) said that the staff had only been asked to contact those who receive bills with arrears. “If consumers are getting calls without reasons, we will bring action on staffers,” SDO Rashid Mahmood told this reporter.

Another consumer from Mustafa Town (Lahore) said first Lesco would send bill late and later staff would visit his homes in working hours when no male family member is home.

“Officials frequently call us, text us to send paid bills’ image on Whatsapp or visit our house to check paid bills in our absence. When there are problems with bills distribution, how can someone pay bills on time?” he wondered.

According to consumers, issuing huge detection bills or inflated bills was also a norm in various service areas of Lesco.

“This time, the bill amount was high. When I checked the bill, it emerged the meter reader showed only peak hours reading in the bill, but avoided normal reading. Thus they charged many units more than the actual reading. After my objection, they corrected the bill in Kasur,” he said.

Another consumer said that last month, a field official marked my meter faulty.

“I got it replaced with another one. But after this, they issued me a Rs40,000 detection bill without checking average bill of the same month the last year,” the consumer said.

A spokesman for Lesco said he would look into the issue.

Published in Dawn, April 26th, 2020