On demand of Lahore Chamber of Commerce and Industry, LESCO chief has announced to put an end to forced load shedding for the entire industrial sector. “From now onwards there would be no more forced load shedding for the industry.” LESCO chief said industry was his priority and he was taking all possible steps to facilitate the business community in general and the industrial sector in particular. He also informed LCCI members that long awaited New Kahna grid station and transmission line project has been commissioned.
When LCCI took up high prices of electricity and repeated increases in power tariff, Sharafat Ali Sayyal informed LCCI members that negotiations with NEPRA are underway on high fuel adjustment charges in LESCO. The distribution company is the highest revenue generation DISCO, while the line losses are at the lowest ebb when they are compared with other distribution companies in country. LESCO chief said to stop the electricity pilferage, LESCO has adopted the policy of stick-and-carrot and all LESCO men found involved in this heinous crime would be given exemplary punishments. Those who are doing good work would be rewarded he added. He said a quarterly review would be carried out in this regard. He said the LESCO management committee in which private sector representation is involved to make certain decisions with regards to sector-wise load management would also be activated as soon as LCCI forwards names for the committee. LESCO chief also said that LCCI-LESCO Dispute Resolution Committee would be activated as soon as the LCCI forwards names for the committee.
Speaking on the occasion, LCCI President Irfan Qaiser Sheikh drew the attention of LESCO chief towards the ever-mounting energy crises which are causing sufferings to all the segments of society. He said that power outages not only halt the production process but also increase the cost of production because shifting to generators fueled by diesel is hardly affordable.
Irfan Qaiser Sheikh said the price of electricity had been increased by 72 per cent in the span of four to five months. It seems that high-ups only know one way to manage the demand and supply of electricity. Whereas no serious attention is being given to efficiently do the load management and also explore the other economical ways of generating electricity.
LCCI President said the LESCO still needs to do a lot to minimise the line losses, reduce the distribution losses and control the pilferage that is done by some unscrupulous elements. LESCO’s overall distribution losses amount to 11 per cent which are much lesser than the losses of other DISCOs where situation is very pathetic. PESCO’s distribution losses are roughly up to 35 per cent followed by KESC at around 40 per cent plus, HESCO at around 40per cent, QESCO at around 25 per cent.
The most unfair outcome of these factors is that the genuine and fair-minded users have to bear the brunt. He urged the LESCO chief to ensure the electricity rates are determined as per the performance and efficiency of the particular DISCO. “Why the cost of inefficiency of certain DISCOs is to be borne by those areas or users whose DISCOs are comparatively efficient.”
LCCI President said the LESCO should strictly follow the schedule of load shedding in Quaid-e-Azam Industrial Estate, Ferozepur Road industrial estate, Kattar Bund road industrial estate and some associations especially Steel Re-rolling association, Plastic Bags & Sheets Manufacturers Association as any deviation from the schedule hits them very hard as they can neither meet the production targets nor can bear the extra cost because of running heavy generators.
He said that there are some areas in Lahore like Daroghawala and Mehmood Booti Bund Road where industrial feeders need to be separated from residential feeders. Due to tripping and unscheduled load shedding, the industrial units face lot of problems. The following Executive Committee Members also attended the meeting:- Rehman Chann, Raees A. Sheikh, Mehmood Ghaznavi, Mian Abuzar Shad, Nabila Intisar, Kh. Shahzeb Akram, Khamis Saeed Butt, Sheikh Mohammad Ayub, Shoaib Zahid Malik.
LESCO Chief Executive Sharafat Ali Sayyal was speaking at the Lahore Chamber of Commerce and Industry on Monday. LCCI President Irfan Qaiser Sheikh presented the welcome address while Senior Vice President Kashif Yousif Meher, former Presidents Mian Anjum Nisar, Mian Misbahur Rehman and former Senior Vice President Abdul Basit also spoke on the occasion.
