KESC shocks consumers with inflated bills

“When the cat is away, the mice will play” stands true for the Karachi Electric Supply Company (KESC) as in the absence of an elected government the utility has started sending inflated bills to its consumers to take maximum advantage of the caretaker set-up.
According to details, the company has sent average bills to some of its consumers in many parts of the city who were out of town since the last one month. Some other consumers received inflated bills from the company despite paying regular bills. The areas from where Pakistan Today received complaints included Korangi, Malir and Shah Faisal Colony. However, the company claimed that there must be some reasons behind inclusion of arrears in bills of such consumers. Meanwhile, the consumers were forced to visit KESC offices for correction in monthly bills by putting all of their engagements behind.
“The KESC has disconnected our connection over non-payment of dues but the company sent us a bill of Rs 32,000 despite the fact that our payable dues were Rs 17,000,” a KESC consumer residing in house no. 14/A, Shaheed-e-Millat Town, Malir told Pakistan Today. “We went to the company’s office in the town and they divided the payable amount in installments after which we are paying the installment money. Later, the company sent us a bill of Rs 32,000 despite the fact that our connection was disconnected a few months back,” the house owner added.
“We have rented a portion of our house which has a separate electricity metre and they also received inflated bill despite the fact that the consumer was paying the bill regularly,” the house owner said. “The metre reading suggests that some units were used in the previous month but the billing amount is much higher than the consumed electricity,” the house owner maintained. “KESC sent a bill of Rs 17,000 but if we go through the history of the consumer then it would be ascertained that the average bill of the consumer ranges between Rs 2500 to Rs 3000,” the affected consumer added.
“In March this year, I received an inflated bill for February having extra amount of Rs 9,990, but the KESC has deducted the extra amount from the bill and assured me that the extra amount would not be included in billing month of March,” a company consumer residing in plot no. 434, Block B, Bhittai Colony Korangi said. “However, the company failed to fulfill its commitment and again sent me a bill with the extra amount,” the consumer added.
“Now, I would have to go KESC office in the town by keeping all other engagements behind for correction of the bill,” the consumer maintained.
“There must be some reason behind inclusion of arrears in bills of such consumers,” KESC Spokesman Ahmed Faraz said. “The possible reasons of inclusion of arrears include theft of electricity or discrepancy in metre,” he added. “The company sent average bills in those areas where the metre readers could not go for monthly reading due to prevailing law and order situation but on an overall scale the company distributed the bills as per consumed electricity units,” he maintained.