The National Assembly Standing Committee on Energy (Power Division) has raised concerns over the non-payment of electricity bills by the Sindh government’s irrigation and power departments, which has resulted in significant financial losses for power distribution companies in the province.
During a meeting on Wednesday, the committee directed the chief executive officers of Sukkur Electric Supply Company (SEPCO) and Hyderabad Electric Supply Company (HESCO), along with secretaries from the finance, irrigation, and power departments of the Sindh government, to work together to reconcile the outstanding amounts and arrange payments to prevent further losses.
The committee was informed that the Sindh Irrigation Department owed Rs617 million to SEPCO and Rs125 million to HESCO for electricity supplied to Salinity Control and Reclamation Project (SCARP) tube wells, offices, and irrigation colonies.
However, the secretaries of the irrigation and power departments contested the bills for irrigation colonies, claiming that both power companies had been repeatedly urged to bring residents of these colonies into the metering network, but no action had been taken.
The committee was also informed that individual meters had been installed in only two irrigation colonies within the HESCO region. Despite this, the Sindh government expressed readiness to reconcile the figures and settle the outstanding amounts.
Recognising the gravity of the issue, the committee decided to form a subcommittee led by Syed Wasim Hussain, MNA, to further address and resolve the matter.
