Lab, factory owners caught stealing electricity

LAHORE: The Lahore Electric Supply Company (Lesco) has detected electricity theft in a medical testing laboratory located on Jail Road here on Wednesday. The company’s spokesman told media here Wednesday that Lesco inspection team found that the management of the laboratory was stealing electricity directly from light transmission line through illegal hooks. The stolen electricity was used to operate four air-conditioners in the two-storey building of the laboratory established over a 10 marla land. The Lesco team, he added, seized the wire used in electricity theft and submitted an application in the police station for registration of case against the owner and the manager of the laboratory. The local police arrested the manager Arslan Nazir.

Similarly, an ice-cream factory in the limits of Shahpur Sub-Division was also caught stealing electricity from the direct supply of Lesco. In the factory, four ice-cream making machines were being operated with stolen electricity. The Lesco team submitted an application in the local police station for registration of a case against the accused.

Similarly, Lesco has detected electricity theft by an employee of the Special Court of Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) namely M Shahzad in Barkat Park area of Tajpura Sub-Division. The company’s spokesman told the media that the accused was stealing electricity by illegally hooking wire on a light transmission line.

Lesco inspection team also seized the wires used in electricity theft and submitted an FIR application against the accused in Ghaziabad police station. He added that the accused caused a loss of Rs100,000 to the national exchequer.

Lesco Chief Executive Officer Engineer Shahid Haider vowed that indiscriminate action would be taken against the electricity thieves.

Meanwhile, Lesco in collaboration with Tehsildars (Recovery) has recovered Rs21.5 million from 622 dead defaulters in the five districts - Lahore, Sheikhupura, Nankana Sahib, Kasur and Okara on the 35th day of its recovery campaign.

Lesco spokesman told the media here Wednesday that Chief Engineer O&M (T&G) Zafar Iqbal with the support of Tehsildar City Mujahid Zia and Tehsildar Shalimar Noraiz Humayun recovered outstanding dues of Rs2.27 million from 97 defaulters in Northern Circle and Rs4.02 million from 69 defaulters in Eastern Circle respectively. Similarly, Lesco Manager (Material Disposal) Engineer Anwar Wattoo along with Tehsildar Model Town Rana Arsal and Tehsildar Cantt Sajjad Qureshi recovered Rs3.09 million from 93 defaulters in Central Circle and Rs2.55 million from 26 defaulter in South Circle.

Manager (Technical) Engineer M Farooq with the assistance of Tehsildar Nankana Sahib M Iqbal Rasheed and Tehsildar Sheikhupura M Aslam Gujjar recovered Rs1.34 million from 62 defaulters in Nankana Circle and Rs3.37 million from 63 defaulters in Sheikhupura Circle. He added that Lesco Manager E&S (PMU) Engineer Abbas Ali in collaboration with Naib Tehsildar Kasur and Okara Mirza Zahid Baig recovered outstanding dues of Rs1.65 from 89 defaulters in Okara Circle and Rs3.23 million from 123 defaulters in Kasur Circle.

Up till now during the recovery campaign, the Lesco with the help of Tehsildars (Recovery) recovered more than Rs901.4 million from 28,292 dead defaulters in its all circles of operation. He elaborated that Lesco recovered outstanding dues of Rs120.10 million from 3,824 defaulters in Northern Circle; Rs211.62 million from 3,215 defaulters in Eastern Circle; Rs128.36 million from 3,475 defaulters in Central Circle; Rs53.91 million from 1,619 defaulters in South Circle, Rs56.01 million from 2,389 defaulters in Nankana Circle; Rs114.13 million from 2,949 defaulters in Sheikhupura Circle; Rs62.93 million from 4,435 defaulters in Okara Circle and Rs154.35 million from 6,386 defaulters in Kasur Circle.

For the recovery campaign started on September 13, the Lahore Division’s Commissioner had assigned additional charge of Tehsildar Recovery (from Lesco defaulters) to relevant Tehsidars, while Lesco CEO Engineer has also designated four senior officers to assist them in the dues recovery from defaulters. He said that the company is facing loss due to dead defaulters, and vowed to continue action against them.