Amraiz Khan Lahore
Though the Lahore Electric Supply Company (LESCO) has extended the due date for payment of electricity bills of Industry but the Chairman of Daroughawala Industry Owners Association Lahore (DIOAL) has forbidden his association members to pay their electricity bills on Monday.
He issued these instructions while addressing a rally of DIOAL members outside LESCO Chief office on Queens road.
A number of Industry owners under the banner of DIOAL gathered outside LESCO Chief office and demanded the waiver of extra taxes levied in their electricity bills. While talking to Pakistan Observer he said that due to inflation and depreciation of the currency, 60 percent of the industry has been closed down.
He was of the view that he and his Association’s office bearers would meet Minister Power to get relief regarding bills. If the Minister would not give relief we would march toward Islamabad in favor of our demands.
Earlier the DIOAL office bearers met with LESCO authorities who extended the due date of the electricity bills in the industrial sector by 10 days. According to our scribe, good number of members of Daroughawala Industry Owners Association Lahore gathered outside LESCO chief office here on Monday to protest against over-billing of LESCO.
LESCO has extended the due date as the industrialists were facing difficulties in paying heavy bills. The sources said that the LESCO has fixed September 29 as the last date for payment of the electricity bills of industrial sectors.
According to the sources, LESCO issued orders in this regard, so now, industrial consumers have to pay bills from September 19 to 29. Charged activists chanted slogans against LESCO and in favor of their demands.
They were of the view that it was very hard for them to pay such heavy bills during such a time of inflation when Industry was going to be drowned and a major chunk of Industry has been closed down.