*ISLAMABAD: *Minister for Power Omer Ayub Khan Friday said as many as10,000 people will be hired in power distribution companies through atransparent process to overcome the shortage of meter readers and technicalstaff required to stop electricity theft and generate revenue.
Responding to MNA Mussarat Rafiq Mahesar during question hour in theNational Assembly, he said the new staff would be hired throughadvertisements and in a transparent manner to improve functioning of theelectricity distribution companies.
The Power Division had given clear directions to all power distributioncompanies to ensure accurate billing and to avoid overcharging theconsumers, he added.
However, he said wherever there were individual incidents reported andelectricity consumers had been overcharged, the consumers should write tothe relevant offices for redressal of their complaints.
For years, vacancies of meter readers and technical staff were not filleddue to which there was shortage of staff that led to complaints ofoverbilling and fictitious meter readings, said the minister.
Omer Ayub Khan said the financial position in the power sector would beimproved with the use of technology, better availability of human resourcesand through administrative measures. About 250 officials in power companieswere terminated, 8,000 first information reports were filed and 1,250officials were sent to jail after filing of FIRs on charges of power theftand other crimes, he added.
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The minister said consumers received theft detection bills when theelectricity meters were tempered, however if any person thought that hewrongly given the detection bill he could write to the chief executive ofthe distribution company.
The employees of distribution companies were involved in power theft, heinformed. The minister said that people in erstwhile FATA were getting bulkelectricity from the feeders and were charged accordingly, adding thatsteps were taken to improve distribution and transmission system in formertribal areas.
When MNA Maulana Abdul Akbar Chitrali pointed out that people in Chitralwere getting exorbitant bills in excess of Rs50,000, the minister assuredthat more persons would be deployed for accurate and proper meter readingwhich would help resolve complaints of the people.
He said a mafia was working in the region of Peshawar Electric SupplyCompany (Pesco) which had private transformer repairing workshops and wasusing aluminum instead of copper wires for rewiring so it could keep onminting money as transformers would need frequent repair due to use ofinferior material. – APP
