Consumers receive inflated electricity bills

Rawalpindi : Despite facing over 12 hours loadshedding during Ramazan, helpless electricity consumers living at Adiala Road, Tariqabad, Defense Road, Dhoke Juma, Bakramandi, Sher Zaman Colony, Mubarak Lane, Tulsa Road, Tahli Moori, Munawar Colony and several other localities received inflated electricity bills.

Hundreds of electricity consumers visited Tariqabad and Adiala Sub Division offices of Islamabad Electric Supply Company (Iesco) regarding the inflated monthly bills for May.

Consumers who were receiving average power bills between Rs2000 and Rs2500 per month for the past two years have complained that the previous month they received bill of Rs10000 to Rs15000. They also reported various errors in the bills. They said that they faced over 12 hours loadshedding during Ramazan despite of that they were served inflated bills.

The bill I received showing that I consumed 900 units last month. However, the meter showing the difference of only 513 units between previous and existing readings.

Now, the Iesco authorities have acknowledged their mistakes in the bill, but the officials are insisting that the consumers should first pay the full bill and the issue will be resolved later.

Iesco do not have ‘check meters’ to resolve the issue of overbilling or wrong reading, Muhammad Owais, a resident of Defence Road, told ‘The News’ on Monday.

Iesco Superintendent Engineer (SE) Rawalpindi Region Umar Farooq Shah commenting on the issue of overbilling told ‘The News’ that we are trying to resolve the issue of inflated bills.