ISLAMABAD - Nargis Sethi, secretary water and power, has resolved the issue of power suspension to CDA over non-payment of electricity dues.
Sethi’s first intervention after resuming the charge as secretary water and power four days back was noticed on Wednesday when she called heads of Islamabad Electric Supply Company (Iesco) and Capital Development Authority (CDA) for putting an end to the month-long dispute over power bills between the two offices.
It has been a month since the power distribution company disconnected electricity to CDA offices for not paying the outstanding power bills amounting to Rs 900 million.
In fact the orders to disconnect power supply to government offices was issued a month back by Abid Sher Ali, minister of state for water and power and PML-N leader, in a bid to punish government offices for not paying electricity bills.
According to official sources privy to the meeting, Sethi grilled heads of the two offices for failing to settle down the lingering issue, adding that it was because of her intervention that the two offices reached a solution.
Soon after the meeting was concluded, electric supply to all offices falling under the CDA including its headquarters was restored after the premium civic agency paid initial instalment of Rs 300 million.
According to CDA spokesman, the dispute between Iesco and his office over unpaid power bills dated back to 2012, adding it was due to the intervention of Sethi that the dispute was finally resolved on Wednesday. He said another amount of Rs 500 million would be paid by CDA in due course of time as per the settlement.
The CDA had been meeting its energy requirements through generators since suspension of power supply for not paying electricity charges.