It is a strange country where power generation is more than required but people from Karachi to Khyber are enduring load shedding for ten to twenty hours. The billing system is strange that the one who pays the bill is also punished for the crime of the non-payer in the form of load shedding and it is a strange country that even the federal minister admits that it is a cruel system but still continues. And that's all.
You must have heard this from many Muslim League ministers and spokespersons that before 2015, the country was in darkness and Nawaz Sharif made electricity surplus in the country by implementing urgent projects under CPEC. Even today they say that electricity is surplus. But on the days of Eid, when people were burning in the heat due to load shedding, the government had surplus electricity on that day as well, but it was not being supplied as per its policy. They say that the more electricity you supply, the greater the loss. happens. The question is that what is the mystery that the electricity is available more than required but still there is loadshedding for 20 hours in some places?
In fact, the electricity transmission system in Pakistan is entrusted to various companies such as PESCO, ESCO, JIPCO, FESCO, LESCO, MUPKA, QSCO, SPAKCO, HEXO and K Electric. The problem is that electricity worth billions of rupees is being stolen within the limits of each company. This theft is more or less but this disease has spread from Karachi to Khyber. In some places, theft is happening due to the weakness of the government's writ, but in some places, the connivance of WAPDA people is also the reason.
According to Pesco, there are more than 1300 feeders under its management, in which losses are less on 156 feeders, so there is only two hours of loadshedding. There are 20 to 30 percent losses on 135 feeders, so six hours of loadshedding is happening there. There are 96 feeders on which the losses are 30 to 40 percent and there is load shedding of 7 hours. There are 40 to 60 percent line losses on 143 feeders and 12 hour load shedding is happening there. Losses are 60 to 80 percent on 157 feeders where 16 hour load shedding is happening. Losses on 159 feeders are 80 percent due to which loadshedding is happening there for 20 hours. What is the benefit of electricity connection where there is loadshedding for 20 hours? The people who come under these feeders who collect the bills on time, are also under the load shedding of 20 hours, so is it not cruel to them?
Those who install the coils also use electricity freely. The government says that the longer the electricity supply is in each desk, the more the loss is to the government, so this loadshedding is not happening because there is a shortage of electricity, but it is happening to reduce the loss of the government. . So now the government has decided to privatize these electricity supply companies, but if the experience of Karachi is seen, perhaps privatization is not a suitable solution because police are needed to install meters and stop electricity theft. And the police is under the control of the provincial governments. Therefore, it would be better to hand over these companies to the provinces instead of privatization.
One of the reasons for the tendency of people to steal electricity in Pakistan is that the payment of electricity bills has become beyond their means. It has low cost of electricity but high cost of other things. For example, the government also collects its sales tax through it. Similarly, TV fees are also sent in electricity bills, although this is completely cruel. The question is, why should billions of rupees be given to PTV? If private TV channels can meet their expenses, why can't this institution with the biggest infrastructure meet its expenses and if it can't, then why is it not privatized?
Another problem is the IPPs hanging around our neck. The agreements made with the IPPs were made keeping in mind the summer season, in which electricity is used more. Then this electricity is not needed in winter, but the government has to pay them according to their production. Of course, it is bound by the agreements with these institutions, but it has never been discussed with them to review them. Now some contracts with them are ending in 2027 and some in 2035 but till then they will squeeze us.
These are long-term issues, but in the short term, the Ministry of Energy should not punish the public for its incompetence. If line losses are happening, then they are happening due to its own weakness. If electricity is being stolen, it is also his job to stop it. Another way should be found to prevent this and not to punish those citizens who submit heavy bills on time. It is such a case that if a few people violate the traffic rules on the road, instead of punishing the offenders, the police close the entire road.
.jpeg)
){kind=link}
0 Comments