The Lahore Electric Supply Company (LESCO) has dismissed from service a meter reader after he was found guilty of conniving in electricity theft in Sheranwala Sub-Division.
The company’s spokesman told media here Sunday that under the leadership of LESCO Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Engineer Shahid Haider, a vigorous operation against electricity thieves is going on across the LESCO region, while strict action is also being taken against the company’s officers and other employees who assist in electricity theft and neglect their duties. During a recent operation, he said, meter reader Muhammad Naeem of Sheranwala Sub-Division was dismissed from service after being found guilty of facilitating a consumer in electricity theft by placing a shunt on the power meter.
The accused was also supplying the stolen electricity to neighbours and giving monthly bribes to the meter reader. After noticing the connivance, LESCO authorities initiated a departmental inquiry against the meter reader after placing him on suspension.
The official, he mentioned, was given full opportunity but he failed to clear his position and could not submit a satisfactory answer to the inquiry committee. On the recommendation of the committee, the competent authority, the XEN/DMO (Deputy Manager-Operation) of Data Darbar Division, issued the dismissal from service order for him, the spokesman concluded.
Lahore Electric Supply Company (LESCO) detected a total of 244 connections from where the customers were pilfering electricity in all its circles of five districts (Lahore, Sheikhupura, Nankana Sahib, Kasur and Okara) on the 58th day of grand anti-power theft campaign.
LESCO spokesman told the media here Sunday the company had also lodged FIR applications against 243 electricity thieves, out of which 56 FIRs had been got registered in respective police stations, while 37 accused have been arrested.