The Lahore Electric Supply Company (LESCO) is in acute shortage of steel structure poles and electricity meters due to the material mismanagement and ill-planning, said the sources. The steel structure poles, besides the spun poles, are used for laying down the transmission lines and supply of electricity to the meters. An undue delay in the installation of steel structure poles for power supply is also a violation of the commercial procedure.
So much so, they said, there is no availability of these poles even for any emergency situation. Non-availability of the material is causing delay in the installation of new connections and feeders. A budget of Rs 900 million was allocated during 2016-17 for bifurcation and re-conducting of High Tension and Low Tension lines but no major development has taken place despite half of the fiscal year has lapsed.
"This allocation is extremely under utilization due to the non-availability of material," they added. Furthermore, they added, another Rs 800 million was allocated from replacement of defective meters but there is a meager utilization of it because of the same problem.
The LESCO consumers have condemned the situation, saying that they were suffering from undue delays after depositing demand notices for the service. One consumer pointed out that he had deposited a demand notice for a tube well connection in January 2016 and kept on waiting for next eleven months for the installation in the Cantonment division. Also, the LESCO sources have pointed out that the development works of various natures have not be executed due to the non-availability of 36 feet steel structure. It may be noted that the material shortage, particular the meters, is proving a constant cause of concern for the consumers. Neither the LESCO nor the ministry is taking stock of the situation and all their energies are being spent on improving recovery and bringing down line losses by hook or by crook. The consumers are facing a troublesome situation whenever they are trapped into the problem of a defective meter.
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