People shocked to see highly-inflated power bills

LAHORE:Many people shocked to see electricity bills in excess of 30 to 40 percent than what they had paid last year for the same month.

Many domestic consumers have complained that they are charged up to Rs60 per unit against average rate of Rs27 per unit. Such a high cost of electricity is simply unbearable even for the small-scale users. A dozen types of taxes and surcharges are being collected through bills in addition to the fuel price adjustment. So much so, people are slapped with unknown arears too.

Much to dismay of hapless consumers, distribution companies charge thousands of rupees as arrears in addition to charging cost of electricity and listing a good number of taxes. Literally, in some cases reported on social media, people have to sell their home appliances to pay bills.

A day before the last date, I received an electricity bill of Rs37,310, on which a late payment surcharge of Rs2,021 has been added and mysterious amount of Rs2,387 as arrears. How can I cross check such a complicated and loosely calculated power bill in a day, said an angry customer.

Electricity price hike have invited rage of masses who lodged their protest by holding demonstrations. People in Lahore, Kasur and Okara voiced their grave concern over high cost of power. They demanded rationalisation of taxes included in electricity bills, demanding of the government to reduce ever-increasing cost of electricity.

Otherwise, they warned that they are left with no option except not to submit wrongly calculated bills. Citizens raised slogans against power utility by blocking the vehicular traffic. The protestors carried placards in protest with slogans against distribution companies. The participants raised slogans against the overbilling and additional taxes in electricity prices and burned electricity bills. The protestors said that the protest would continue till the increase in electricity bills is not withdrawn. The rulers have made it impossible for them to live in the era of skyrocketing inflation, abject poverty and massive unemployment. They noted that an unnecessary increase in the electricity bills in the form of taxes etc, many consumers have been forced to starve. Keeping in view protest of masses, Lesco management admitted on Friday that people were subjected to wrong bills in some cases. Chief Executive Lesco said he had suspended officials involved in issuing excessive bills

To a question about mysterious arrears in electricity bills, a Lesco official said that following tariff rate increased by NEPRA/GOP on 26.07.2023 w-e-f 01.07.2023, the new rates could not be applied due to paucity of time. The batches printed earlier in 07/2023 has been charged difference of tariff in bills in the form of arrears in ensuing month.

On other hand, the Lesco team also claimed of discovering electricity theft worth more than Rs56 lakh in Kasur. The accused in this case stole more than 84 thousand units of electricity. Power was being stolen through a remote control device in the ice factory. The accused have already defaulted more than Rs28 lakh to Lesco, said an official.