NTDC dismayed at Rs10m fine

LAHORE: National Transmission and Despatch Company Limited (NTDC) has expressed its disappointment at imposition of Rs10 million on it for alleged delay in completion of grids and transmission line projects.

Terming the fine excessive, the NTDC spokesperson stated here on Friday that the teams of NTDC are working day and night to complete the projects. Delay in execution and completion of the projects, if any, is not wilful, but due to the circumstances which are beyond the control of the NTDC like severe Right of Way (RoW) problems, stays granted by the courts in different locations and poor law and order situation.

Under Section 46 of NEPRA Act 1997, the Authority has been given powers to make rules with the approval of the federal government to carry out the purpose of the Act where, through the NEPRA Fines Rules 2002 have been notified which authorizes the authority to seek information, impose fines and penalties for failure to furnish such information. It is vehemently pointed out that there is no provision under section 46 of the NEPRA Act which deals with administration of the contracts placed by NTDC on various contractors or agencies for the execution of its projects.

The fines, which are authorised to be imposed under the Act, have been circumscribed under section 46(2)(m) of the Act, which only envisages the imposition of fines in case of failure of any licensee to provide information as required by the Authority. There is hardly any provision in the Act which provide any authority to NEPRA to impose fine on licensee in connection with the administration of its contracts placed on the various contractors for finalization of its projects. NTDC feels that unfortunately, NEPRA has entered an exercise of supervising the execution of contracts of the licensee which is totally against the Act and the Rules made there under. The NTDC spokesperson stated that the NTDC is considering to challenge the order of imposition of Rs.10 million fine.