MULTAN-State Minister for Water and Power Abid Sher Ali alleged that the Khyber Pakhtoonkhwa government was patronising power pilferers, and warned that the country would turn into a desert in next 10 years if new water reservoirs were not constructed forthwith.
Addressing the members of Multan Chamber of Commerce and Industry, he added that the government had approved a grant worth Rs25 billion for Dia Mir Bhasha Dam project to counter the threat of water scarcity as well as loadshedding.
He anticipated that loadshedding would end after three years as current government continuously added electricity to national grid to make up the shortfall. He disclosed that a new power plant at Guddu costing around Rs6 billion would be inaugurated soon which would decrease loadshedding in the country. He said that the government was determined to turn Pakistan into a loadshedding free country and Prime Minister Mian Muhammad Nawaz Sharif would inaugurate a number of new energy projects in different parts of country in the next month.
He added that 447 Megawatt energy would be added to the system from Guddu Barrage this year while 1750 MW energy had already been added to national grid. He said that production of electricity would touch the mark of 18,000 MW this year as 4250MW electricity would be added to the national grid by June this year.
To a query, he disclosed that a massive operation against power pilferers and defaulters of billions of rupees had been launched countrywide. Giving details of defaulters, he said that the Federal Lodges was a big defaulter of Rs10.75 million of Wapda. He said all defaulters had been issued notices and they were given 15 day warning to pay their dues or face disconnections. He declared that the power supply to the feeders with line losses exceeding to 90 percent due to massive power theft and non-payment of electricity bills would be suspended. He said that government is planning for disconnecting power supply to areas with the highest rate of power theft.
He strongly dispelled the impression that his campaign against power theft was targeted against any particular province and said that no one under any law had the privilege to use electricity for free. He accused KPK government of backing power pilferers and said that whenever officials of the Water and Power Development Authority (WAPDA) tried to take action against the culprits, they were victimised by KPK government. He pointed out that as many as 12,906 consumers in Basham, Tank, Kolachi, Domail, Tajazai areas were consuming electricity but only 919 pay their bills. The minister said that the public representatives should have to cooperate in recovery of bills instead of threatening and insulting WAPDA officials. He declared that the electricity transformers from areas with high ratio of line losses would be removed in light of instruction of the government. He added that electricity theft ordinance would be applicable to the whole country.
Earlier, delivering welcome address president of MCCI Khawaja Muhammad Usman stressed upon the government to ensure uninterrupted power supply to the industry so that local manufacturers could meet the demand of world market and the country could benefit from GSP-plus status.