Lesco recovers over Rs13.1m from 505 defaulters

LAHORE: The Lahore Electric Supply Company (LESCO), in collaboration with Tehsildars (Recovery), recovered Rs13.1 million from 505 chronic defaulters in all five districts - Lahore, Sheikhupura, Nankana Sahib, Kasur and Okara - on the 128th day of its recovery campaign.

A Lesco spokesman told the media here Saturday that Chief Engineer O&M (T&G) Zafar Iqbal, with the support of Tehsildar City Mujahid Zia and Tehsildar Shalimar Noreez Humayun, recovered outstanding dues of Rs1.10 million from 62 defaulters in Northern Circle and Rs2.77 million from 58 defaulters in Eastern Circle respectively.

Similarly, Lesco Manager (Material Disposal) Engineer Anwar Watto along with Tehsildar Model Town Rana Arsal and Tehsildar Cant.

Sajjad Qureshi recovered Rs2.32 million from 60 defaulters in Central Circle, and Rs0.83 million from 30 defaulters in South Circle; while Manager (Technical) Engineer M Farooq with the assistance of Tehsildar Nankana Sahib M Iqbal Rasheed and Tehsildar Sheikhupura M Aslam Gujjar recovered Rs0.50 million from 30 defaulters in Nankana Circle and Rs3.42 million from 82 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 Rs0.74 million from 99 defaulters in Okara Circle and Rs1.47 million from 84 defaulters in Kasur Circle.

Up till now during the recovery campaign, the Lesco with the help of Tehsildars (Recovery) recovered more than Rs2.5 billion from 70,328 dead defaulters in its all circles of operation.

He elaborated that Lesco recovered outstanding dues of Rs273.20 million from 9,858 defaulters in Northern Circle; Rs499.98 million from 9,182 defaulters in Eastern Circle; Rs266.39 million from 7,935 defaulters in Central Circle; Rs112.74 million from 4,054 defaulters in South Circle, Rs173.22 million from 6,326 defaulters in Nankana Circle; Rs304.48 million from 8,581 defaulters in Sheikhupura Circle; Rs129.50 million from 11,184 defaulters in Okara Circle and Rs291.67 million from 13,208 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 Tehsildar, while Lesco Chief Executive Officer Engineer Shahid Haidar has also designated four senior officers to assist them in the dues recovery from defaulters. Lesco Chief Executive Officer Engineer Shahid Haider said that the company is facing loss due to dead defaulters, and vowed to continue action against them.

Lesco detects 402 culprits in anti-theft drive

The Lahore Electric Supply Company (LESCO) detected a total of 402 connections from where the consumers were pilfering electricity in all its circles of five districts: Lahore, Sheikhupura, Nankana Sahib, Kasur and Okara, on the 133rd day of the anti-power-theft campaign.

A Lesco spokesman told the media here on Saturday that the company also submitted FIR applications against 402 electricity thieves, out of which 158 cases were registered at the respective police stations, while 19 accused were arrested.

On the 133rd consecutive day of the anti-power theft campaign, the spokesman added, large commercial consumers were also found involved in electricity theft and all of them were also disconnected. Among the seized connections were 15 commercial, one agricultural and 386 domestic. All the power pilferers were charged with a total of 353,269 units as detection bill amounting to Rs10.810 million.

Apprising the media about some major power pilferers, he explained that Lesco charged detection units worth Rs400,000 to an electricity pilferer in Gulshan-e-Iqbal area; Rs216,900 detection bill to another customer stealing electricity in Girja Colony; Rs150,000 fine to a power thief in Railway Washing Line area; and Rs140,000 detection bill to a power thief in Shahdara Town.

During the 133 days of grand anti-theft campaign, the spokesman mentioned, the Lesco detected pilferage on 45,906 power connections and submitted 45,452 FIR applications against electricity thieves in the relevant police stations out of which 42,846 FIRs have been registered, while 17,228 accused have so far been arrested by the police.

The Lesco has so far charged a total of 66,571,124 detection units worth Rs2,583,685,818 to all the power pilferers.