LAHORE: The Lahore Electric Supply Company (LESCO) has shown poor recovery performance in terms of detection bills against other distribution companies (DISCOs) from 1st July 2020 to 30th April 2021, said sources.
It may be noted that detection bills are charged those consumers who are indulged in theft of electricity. The LESCO has been spearheading the campaign against power theft as the power division has given special focus on its performance in order to present it as a showcase. However, the data of the outgoing year suggest that the LESCO has been dismally low in terms of recovery against detection bills.
Prime Minister Imran Khan had ordered back in 2018 to carry out a countrywide crackdown against power theft that was followed by setting up of a task force by the Power Division to take action. Similarly, the Punjab government had also constituted a task force at the provincial level to follow the suit.
According to the data, a copy available with Business Recorder, LESCO had charged Rs 3,523 million against theft of electricity, and it recovered only Rs 1,393 million that amounts to 39.44 percent during the first 10 months of the outgoing fiscal year.
While in the same period, the Gujranwala Electric Power Company (GEPCO) charged Rs 1,197 million against theft of electricity and it recovered Rs 866 million, 72.29 percent.
Interestingly, the Faisalabad Electric Supply Company (FESCO) stood top among all the DISCOs in Punjab so far as the recovery of amounts under the detection bills is concerned. According to the data, the FESCO charged Rs 1,255 million against theft of electricity and it recovered Rs 1,112 million, 88.95 percent.
It may be noted that the FESCO is notorious for power theft and former premier Nawaz Sharif had suspended its chief executive after unearthing power theft during his visit to a mill some five years back. However, the FESCO has registered impressive improvement and stood top among all the DISCOs so far as recovery of detection bills is concerned.
Similarly, the Islamabad Electric Supply Company (IESCO) has also shown improvement as it charged Rs 661 million against theft of electricity and recovered Rs 521 million, 78.82 percent. The Multan Electric Supply Company (MEPCO) performance is also not unimpressive and its recovery ratio stood at 71.43 percent, as it recovered Rs 1,527 million against charging detection bills worth Rs 2,138 million during the period starting from 1st July 2020 up to 30th April 2021.
Copyright Business Recorder, 2021
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