Sindh government annoys Wapda

Sindh government has irritated Wapda by giving reference of a ''fake'' directive of the Minister for Water and Power Liaquat Ali Jatoi just to seek a waiver on an amount of Rs 306 million that it owes to the water and power authority as outstanding dues, official sources told Business Recorder.
They said that Sindh government''s consultant, in his letter to Hyderabad Electric Supply Company (Hesco), a Wapda''s semi-independent entity, had informed that the Minister for Water and Power has waived Rs 306 million on account of late payment surcharge.
"No such directive was issued by the minister. Sindh government consultant needs to be directed that he should not issue such unauthentic letters as he has no jurisdiction to write such letters and mislead facts," sources quoted Hesco Chief Executive Officer (CEO) as writing a letter to Sindh Chief Secretary Shakeel Durrani on June 6.
The power company held several meetings with the Secretary and concerned departments but the officials always observed that the provincial government was reluctant to clear its electricity dues. Chief Minister''s Advisor on Finance had agreed to release an amount of Rs 7.7 billion in black and white for the period from January 2005 to June 2006, but according to power company payment of Rs 640.841 million had been made against balance amount of Rs 767 million.
However, the provincial government released Rs 460.841 million only at source on May 22 and at the same time the consultant created confusion regarding full and final settlement on his own ulterior motives which is far from the fact.
Another meeting was convened by the Chief Secretary on April 2, in which he directed the Finance Secretary for release of Rs 1 billion against Hesco dues for the period from July 2006 to March 2007, but the finance department transferred Rs 912 million directly to the departments. But it is very much unfortunate that out of Rs 912 million, nothing has been paid by the concerned departments even after a lapse of almost 2 months.
In this regard, Hesco officers moved from desk to desk and contacted each and every drawing and disbursing officer of provincial government departments to clear dues from the released amount but all the time it was intimated that the released amount had not been transferred to their head of account, sources said.
They said that Hesco CEO has asked the Chief Secretary to intervene in the matter for release of the dues at source because the accumulated amount is Rs 4.850 billion ending April due to which the power utility is facing financial crunch.