KESC starts charging 40pc arrears in Nov bills

KARACHI - The KESC has included the arrears of 40 per cent in the electricity bills of the consumers for the current month of November.
Last month, after countrywide protests, the federal government allowed the electricity consumers to deposit only 60 per cent of their inflated bills. A few days ago, federal government further reduced the tariff but the KESC had included 40 per cent balance amount in the bills of its consumers, sources confided to The Nation here on Monday.
It is pertinent to mention here that the company has claimed that it is issuing bills after the revision of tariff, recommended by the committee formed for this purpose, which had suggested about 13 per cent cut in domestic tariff.
The power tariff was increased during last few months due to a rise in oil prices in the international and local markets. The company has amplified the tariff amount twice for the reason of oil adjustment charges. Abraaj Group, the new management of the KESC, had taken over the company only after assurance from the government that the latter would readjust tariff and write-off the liabilities. This increment cum adjustment in the tariff was highly condemned by local citizens as the condition of power supply had been worsened during that period.
However, after the recent decline in oil prices in the international market, the government along with KESC announced 13 per cent decrease in the power tariff. “The actual amount increased was 45 per cent to 50 per cent but to keep appease the masses, they announced less than actual amount by excluding taxes from the increment”, said the source, adding “This 13 per cent reduction is another joke with the people as it has no significant impact on the overall amount of tariff.”