Streets cleared of 300kg cables used for power theft

KARACHI : More than 500 illegally-hooked connections were successfully removed on Friday along Tannery Road and Ahmed Shah Bukhari areas of Lyari during an anti-power theft drive by K-Electric. As a result of this, the streets were cleared of 300 kilograms of cables used for power theft.

According to a press release, 18 pole-mounted transformers installed in these areas have a collective billing of more than Rs700 million while the ratio of payments received against these dues was less than 30 per cent.

It added that effective raids against power theft were also conducted in the past in other areas of Lyari such as Rangiwara, Chakiwara and Slaughterhouse. After these raids, several camps were set up, enabling the residents to pay outstanding bills or overdue amounts more conveniently.

A resident of the area, Rizwan Shah, appreciated the initiative taken by the utility company and pledged support from the community. He held out the assurance that every resident will help in locating illegal connections because apprehending the culprits will benefit the whole community.

Numerous other measures were also taken by K-Electric whereby the transmission and distribution losses in Karachi were successfully reduced by 14 per cent since 2009.

Commenting on the matter, a spokesman stated that power theft is the main cause of faults in the system that disrupts the regular supply of electricity to the consumers. “K-Electric expresses its gratitude to the valuable, law-abiding citizens who are cooperating with us in our efforts to curb the menace of power theft,” he added.

Resources: Karachi Mayor Wasim Akhtar has assured a delegation of citizens from Baldia Town and Madina Colony in Malir that the Karachi Metropolitan Corporation (KMC) will execute public welfare works in their areas, adding that elected representatives will continue to fulfil their responsibility for the betterment of the city. He said this in a meeting with citizens at his office on Fridy. Metropolitan Commissioner Dr Syed Saif-ur-Rehman, Land Committee Chairman Syed Arshad Hassan, Works Committee Chairman Hassan Naqvi, Works Director-General Iqtidar Ahmed, Senior Director Coordination Masood Alam, Director Technical to Mayor SM Shakaib and other officers were also present on the occasion.

The delegation from Baldia Town informed the mayor of the demolition of marriage lawns in their area, which rendered them jobless and their families suffered as a result of the situation. They requested that the matter be considered on humanitarian grounds.

Akhtar said the demolition of marriage lawns was in accordance with the verdict of the Supreme Court and was not aimed at taking the jobs away from the people.