Iesco adds to Wasa’s miseries by increasing 65% power tariff

Rawalpindi: The Islamabad Electric Supply Company (Iesco) authorities not only irk and irritate residential consumers but has now even thrown bombshell on Water and Sanitation Agency (Wasa) by increasing electricity tariff by 65 per cent, thus increasing miseries on the already financial burdened water agency.

Wasa Managing Director Raja Shaukat Mahmood told the media persons that his department is already facing financial crisis and the Iesco has further worsened the situation by increasing charges of electricity bills by 65 per cent. Wasa had been paying Rs40 million against electricity bills per month now the charges have been increased by Rs10 millions per month i.e. Rs50 millions.

The increase in tariff of electricity bills could result in suspension of water supply in Rawalpindi, the managing director expressed his fear. Similarly, Raja Shaukat told that though there has been no increase in tariff of water by WASA since 2009 but during these years, immense increase has been noticed in electricity bills.

Raja Shaukat told that the charges of per unit of electricity has now been increased from Rs8.85 to Rs14.58 per unit. Due to financial crunch persisting in Wasa , it had become difficult to pay the salaries to employees on time . Now huge increase made by Iesco in electricity charges it would become hard and impossible for us to pay salaries to our employees . He said at present 424 tube wells of Wasa are operated upon by Wasa in Rawalpindi besides one filtration plant in Rawal Lake. Electricity charges have been raised on them by Iesco, he said.

The managing director believed that if the increased charges on electricity are not reduced by Iesco then there is possibility Wasa could become default department.

He demanded that Wasa is unable to pay huge electricity bill issued to it by Iesco. The issued bills which are highly inflated be withdrawn and taken back. Moreover, the tariff claimed in electricity bill be reduced in sufficient way , enabling Wasa to clear it. Wasa is already supplying subsidized water to its consumer and the increase made by Iesco in electricity tariff is beyond its reach to pay, Raja Shaukat cleared.