Staff Report
ISLAMABAD: Minister for Power Sardar Awais Ahmad Khan Leghari has given April 23 as deadline to all Chairmen, Chief Executive Officers (CEOs) of Power Distribution Companies (DISCOs) to curb power pilferage completely.
Terming the current efforts to curb menace of power pilferage insufficient, the minister directed strict action against power thieves, said a statement issued by the Power Division here Monday. The data did not match to the actual damages of power theft, he said.
He said the incumbent government has zero tolerance about power pilferage and committed to rooting out the power theft menace. He said all the concerned officers should trace all the sources of electricity pilferage and addressed them. SEs, XENs
SDOs and concerned field staff have to give certificate of no theft in their respective areas, the minister said. He said all CEOs would verify these certificates and submit them to the ministry. These performance would be reviewed on weekly basis and no leniency would not be tolerated, he said.
Awais said legal, disciplinary action would also be taken against the officials for inconsistency or conflicting evidence.
Amendments would also be brought in the laws severely punish the officials involved in electricity theft, he said. He said there would be amendments to the laws preventing dismissal of the officials found involved in such crimes.
Earlier last week, Federal Minister for Power Sardar Awais Ahmad Khan Laghari held a meeting on hill torrents and the Murunj Dam project on Wednesday.
MNAs Sardar Shamshir Khan Mazari, Sardar Abdul Qadir Khosa, Sardar Amar Awais Khan Leghari, MPA Sardar Ahmad Khan Leghari, Sardar Ali Mansoor Khan Leghari as well as NESPAK and Irrigation Department officers participated in the meeting.
In the meeting, the federal minister issued instructions for the early completion of the ongoing feasibility study for the construction of multiple small dams on hill torrent drains in Dera Ghazi Khan, Taunsa, and Rajanpur.
The minister while issuing instructions to the authorities, said that all stakeholders should be included in the consultation process.
He expressed his determination to initiate the construction work soon by arranging funding for all projects.
