Power users asked to lodge complaints through portal

LAHORE:Power customers have been asked to lodge complaints through Punjab Electricity Complaint Portal established by the Provincial Energy Department.

The consumers can use the electricity complaint portal to register complaints of faulty metering, inflated billing, wiring or tariff. Timely resolution of complaints is assured if codal and procedural formalities are fulfilled, said a spokesperson for the department.

He added that Punjab Energy Department had taken the initiative to facilitate electricity consumers across the province. Now, customers of power utilities can register their electricity related complaints right from the comfort of their home or offices by just clicking at www.ecp.energy.punjab.gov.pk. He described that complaints portal is a transparent platform that allows the electricity consumers to submit their electricity related complaints before the relevant regional electricity inspector under protection of Electric Power Act 1997 and Electricity Act 1910. There are many benefits of registering complaint through the online portal, including transparency, monitoring by dedicated authorities of government of the Punjab, provision of complaint status at each stage and quick resolution with minimum time.

CS orders action after reports of overcharging

On a report of the Special Branch, the Punjab chief secretary took notice of the flour sale at the higher rates than officially-fixed price and ordered the deputy commissioners to take stern action against the shopkeepers and dealers found involved in overcharging in Lahore, Gujranwala and Hafizabad.

He issued these directions to the officers while presiding over the daily-review meeting on price control. With the indication of those overcharging consumers for flour in Lahore, Gujranwala, and Hafizabad, the additional IG Special Branch presented the report in the meeting.

The CS directed the officers to deal profiteers with an iron hand, saying that those fleecing people did not deserve any leniency. He said monitoring of prices and availability of essential commodities was being carried out through the Special Branch, Intelligence Bureau, and Urban Unit, adding that identification of mistakes helped adopt corrective measures. He asked the field officers to review the quality, supply, prices of commodities, and other arrangements in Sahulat bazaars and make them better.

The chief secretary ordered all the deputy commissioners in the province to prepare lists of demand and supply of essential commodities in their districts for the whole year to make sure there is no shortage of any item. The short supply is the main reason for increase in prices, he was of the view.

He also directed the officers for listing the major busy markets in cities to help narrow down the areas for inspections.

The meeting was briefed that 339 Sahulat bazaars have been made functional across the province to ensure availability of essential items, including flour and sugar, at discounted rates.