The price of electricity is likely to increase as the National Electric Power Regulatory Authority (NEPRA) is considering a proposal to increase the price of electricity by one rupee and 30 paisa. The proposal would put an additional burden of 22 billion 56 crore rupees on consumers. The increase is being proposed to cover the cost of electricity theft and line losses, as well as to increase electricity consumption. The Lahore Electric Supply Company (LESCO) has been running a 40-day campaign to recover money from electricity thieves and defaulters. During the campaign, LESCO has recovered more than 1 billion 7 crore rupees from 33569 defaulters.

The Chief Engineers of LESCO are making the recovery better with the support of the Tehsildars. In Northern Circle, 4479 defaulters have been recovered for Rs.138.63 million, while in Eastern Circle, 3969 defaulters have been recovered for Rs.244.99 million. In Central Circle, 4265 defaulters have been recovered for Rs.156.45 million, and in South Circle, 1824 defaulters have been recovered for Rs.60.84 million. In Nankana circle, 2976 defaulters have been recovered for Rs.66.97 million, and in Sheikhupura circle, 3673 defaulters have been recovered for Rs.156.80 million. In Okara circle, 5051 defaulters have been recovered for Rs.71.05 million, while in Kasur circle, 7332 defaulters have been recovered for Rs.179.55 million.

On the forty-sixth day of the campaign, 332 defaulters have recovered more than Rs.99 lakhs. In Northern Circle, Chief Engineer R&M (T&G) Zafar Aqbal with the assistance of Tehsildar City Mujahid Zia and Tehsildar Shalimar Noreez Humayun recovered Rs.1.15 million from 47 defaulters in Northern Circle and Rs.2.72 million from 56 defaulters in Eastern Circle. On the other hand, Manager Material Disposal Engineer Anwar Watone along with Tehsildar Model Town Rana Asar and Tehsildar Cantt Sajjad Qureshi recovered Rs.1.30 million from 40 defaulters in Central Circle and Rs.0.30 million from 13 defaulters in South Circle. The NEPRA hearing on the proposed electricity price increase will be held on November 14.

 
Credit: Independent News Pakistan (INP)