LAHORE, Jan 24: As if power breakdowns and long spells of loadshedding were not hard enough, the city dwellers are now facing another problem: increasing incidents of electricity meters theft.

During the last one month, the meter thefts have multiplied, with Pakistan Electric Power Company (PepCo) and the Lahore Electric Supply Company (LesCo) authorities conceding the problem and mainly blaming drug addicts for it.

The authorities also concede that a gang of former Wapda employees may also be involved in stealing and selling these meters after slowing them down to people indulging in power theft. “Though the complaints have multiplied during the last few weeks, the company is yet to form final opinion about the causes,” says an official of the PepCo.

Nadeem Hussain of Model Town says: “Long hours of loadshedding have made life easy for these thieves, who can now take their time in planning the theft, and doubly miserable for people. During the last one week, there have been five incidents of meters theft in our lane alone. All these meters are installed outside houses with no protection of their own,” he said.

“Apparently, the meters are property of the PepCo or the distribution company concerned,” says Muhammad Mansha of Gulberg. “But in case of stealing, it is the consumer who suffers and pays the price. The irony of the situation is that once he purchases a new meter after suffering a lot of inconvenience and fiscal loss, the meter again becomes property of the company and the purchase is once again left at the mercy of thieves. The PepCo and the companies have taken them out of houses to save them from tempering by the consumers, but there is no protection against theft. It was like tying ones hands, and exposing people to dangers,” he said.—Staff Reporter