ISLAMABAD: The Public Accounts Committee (PAC) on Thursday expressed dissatisfaction with power distribution companies (Discos) over failure to have their records verified, a lapse that stalled recoveries of billions of rupees.
Federal Secretary of Energy (Power Division) Muhammad Fakhre Alam Irfan told the committee that Discos repeatedly submitted files that did not meet the audit department’s requirements. He noted that audit objections dating back 30 to 40 years remained unresolved for the same reason, as documents provided were consistently incomplete or below required standards.
The PAC meeting was convened to review audit paras related to the Ministry of Energy (Power Division). In the absence of Chairman Junaid Akbar Khan, members agreed to nominate a chairperson from among themselves on rotational basis for this and all future requisitioned meetings. Thursday’s session was presided over by Shahida Begum.
The PAC expressed strong dismay over audit of Discos, revealing that a huge amount of Rs10.256 billion was credited to consumers in different types of adjustments. The committee learnt that while relief was only allowed to new connections, huge amounts were credited to consumers on bills of already running consumers on their accumulated units of more than two months without taking actions against meter readers, meter inspectors and SDOs who were responsible to record and charge the units to consumers on their actual monthly consumption.
Of all Discos, the total amount credited without units by Lesco was the highest, Rs7.94bn. The total amount credited without units by Gepco was the second highest, Rs916 million.
Members were particularly perturbed over the fact that despite directions from the committee over a year ago to fix responsibility, Discos failed to take action and hand down punishments.
Secretary of power division attributed the undue generation of revenue through overbilling amounting to Rs8.44 billion to dereliction of duty and inefficiency of Discos to provide quality records to the audit department.
In another audit para, the meeting observed that 7, 694 consumers of different categories extended the load of their energy connections illegally without approval of competent authority. Losses incurred following the unauthorised extension of load by consumers stood at Rs2.51bn. The field formations neither disconnected the energy connections nor regularised the un-authorised extended load in violation of rules.
