The Multan Electric Power Company (MEPCO) has stepped up its actions to collect billions in outstanding payments from agricultural tube well defaulters. In the last two days, the disconnection of more than 100 connections happened in Burewala, along with confiscation of transformers from main defaulters. At the same time, Federal Ombudsman Senior Investigation Officer, Dr. Zahid Malik, was in Shujabad listening to public concerns and running an open court to swiftly resolve cases.
MEPCO’s Campaign to Punish Agricultural Defaultors
Mass disconnections are taking place in Burewala.
MEPCO has started a strong operation focused on those who do not pay for agricultural tube wells. The corporation disconnected in excess of 100 connections and took out transformers in Burewala. This aggressive action is one component of work to retrieve over Rs. 2 billion from defaulters throughout the region. This plan is a result of government orders to speed up recovery and put the squeeze on non-paying consumers.
SE MEPCO Issues Updates Related to Outstanding Dues
Malik Waseem Akhtar say’s, the SE MEPCO Circle in Vehari, agricultural tube well consumers owe about Rs. 4 billion. This total covers arrears, present bills, and charges in dispute. The disconnection drive is likely to carry on until there is major recovery.
Ongoing Operation
MEPCO has taken transformers from the leading defaulters, putting greater pressure on them to pay their outstanding amounts. The company is trying to ensure that all defaulting parties face consequences. They are especially focused on those with large overdue payments. This strategy intends to respond to the effects of non-payment.
How the Federal Ombudsman is Working to Address Public Grievances
Open Court in Shujabad
In Shujabad on Thursday, Dr. Zahid Malik, the Senior Investigation Officer at the Federal Ombudsman, held an open court. The reason for the visit was to confront allegations against federal institutions and solve cases on the spot. From the public, he heard multiple written complaints and quickly acted to solve 19 cases on the spot.
Financial Relief
The session yielded a key result: the issuance of orders to reimburse more than Rs. 5 million to consumers in a variety of billing cases. Dr. MEPCO’s Executive Engineer, Tariq Mahmood Dar, received instructions from Malik to promptly restore the three discontinued electricity connections. In addition, faulty meters were replaced for more than three other connections, thus immediately helping the affected consumers.
Instructions of Dr. Malik
Dr. Malik went further than just electrical cases. He directed officials from various federal departments, including WAPDA, Sui Gas, Postal Life Insurance, NADRA, Pakistan Railways, ZTBL, and Pakistan Bait-ul-Mal, to work on clearing pending complaints without delay. According to him, it is crucial to carry out Federal Ombudsman decisions right away and he warned against any delay in addressing public discontent.
Celebration
Last year, Federal Ombudsman’s office got an important landmark by resolving 194,099 complaints. Indicating a 22% uplift over the previous year. According to the Ombudsman, there was an 18% growth in actions initiated against mismanagement in government departments, with a total of 193,028 complaints resolved.
Encouragement to the Public
Dr. Malik recommended that members of the public submit their grievances in writing, confirming their issues would receive prompt attention and at no cost. He notified citizens that the Federal Ombudsman’s office holds their challenges in high regard and will efficiently resolve them without charges or avoidable delays.
FAQs:
Q1. What has MEPCO done to address defaulters?
A1. In order to recover outstanding dues, MEPCO has cut off close to 100 agricultural tube well connections and seized transformers from significant defaulters.
Q2. Mepco is seeking the debt amount from agricultural tube well defaulters.
A2. There are arrears, current bills, and contested charges totaling nearly Rs. 4 billion that defaulters owe.
Q3. What results did the Federal Ombudsman’s open court in Shujabad achieve?
A3. Dr. Zahid Malik solved 19 cases right away, returned Rs. 5 million plus, and arranged the reinstatement of three electricity connections.
Q4. What steps is the general public able to implement to address issues with federal agencies?
A4. The public is motivated to file written complaints with the Federal Ombudsman, who will respond to them pro bono and swiftly.
