LAHORE – The Lahore Electric Supply Company (LESCO) has adopted another technical way of fleecing customers by sending deflated bills for January, Pakistan Today has learnt. According to sources, LESCO sent inflated bills in December to increase its collections and in January sent bills with fewer readings so that it could charge more units in next month’s bills and earn good collections. A large number of customers have received bills amounting less than 50 units or less than Rs 150 while there are many customers whose bills are less than 200 units, whereas metre reading is far more than the received bill.
A senior LESCO official said that last month bills were inflated and people had to pay an extra amount. “More consumed units result in higher bills,” he said adding that now LESCO is sending bills with less reading. “They would adjust units of this month in the next month and ultimately amount of the bill would double,” he said. While giving an example, the official said that first 100 units for domestic consumers are Rs 4.36 per unit, the next slab for 200 units is Rs 6.56 and the next 700 units are charged Rs 10.45 per unit. Taxes and general sales tax are added according to units consumed.
“Looking at the slab, one could easily estimate that more units mean extra amount. Units that are consumed this month would be adjusted in the next month and it would burden pockets of consumers,” he said adding that it would also help LESCO overcome its losses by plundering innocent consumers. Green Town resident Abdul Ghafoor received a 56 unit bill worth Rs 141 saying that his monthly consumption is at least 200 to 250 units but this time, LESCO has sent a very low bill. Ghafoor said that he uses a refrigerator, iron, six tube lights, two TVs and other electric appliances but was astonished to receive such a low bill. “I became very happy to receive the low bill but when I read the metre to match my bill, I was surprised to know that the bill was at least 170 units less than the actual reading,” Ghafoor said adding that now when these units would be added in the next month’s bill, the bill would multiply.
“I am sure that the next month’s bill would cross Rs 2,500 and the low bill was only due to incorrect reading,” he lamented. Johar Town resident Tariq Mehmood also shared similar views. He said that it is a technical way of cheating consumers. There are hundred of consumers who are facing similar problems. They said that although LESCO has established a one-window cell for redressing complaints but all such efforts take time. “I have to take a leave from my office to go to the LESCO office for redressing my complaint and it is not possible for me,” said another consumer.
Separately, LESCO has issued a load shedding plan for today (Friday) owing to technical repairs on different grid stations and lines. Electricity in WAPDA Town, Johar Town, Township, College Road, Medina Road, Haider Road, Rehmanpura, New Kot Lakhpat and General Hospital would be closed from 9am to 3pm.
