Senate body discusses issue of unpaid employees of Lakhra and Kotri Power Plant

ISLAMABAD, March 02 (SABAH): Senate committee on Thursday discussed the issue of unpaid employees of Lakhra and Kotri Power Plant.

Meeting of Senate Standing Committee on Power was held here at Parliament House on Thursday with Senator Saifullah Abro in chair.

The Senate committee deliberated on matter of unpaid employees of Lakhra and Kotri Power Plant. Senator Moula Bux Chandio, mover of matter, apprised the committee that the employees of both the power plants are not getting paid and government has deliberately reduced the power output of Kotri Power Plant from 144 MW to 110 MW.

Rashid Mahmood, Secretary Power Division, briefed the Committee that Government has decided to shutdown the power plants due to high production cost and low efficiency level of said Power Plants. He added that seven turbines machines of Kotri Power Plant produce electricity with 31 p.c. efficiency and as of now, turbine machines embedded latest technology could produce electricity, with 61 pc efficiency. However, employees of both the Power Plants have offered employment in same grade in different Disco’s and majority have not responded to it. The chairman committee decided to hear the grievances of unpaid employees before taking any further action.

Furthermore, the committee discussed the over-billing in four union councils of Turbat, Balochistan. Senator Muhammad Akram, mover of matter, informed that residents of the area were dislocated due to backflow water from Mirani Dam in 2007 and consequently, residents are not getting any electricity and yet doomed to receive electricity bills containing huge arrears. Senator Saifullah Abro directed the QESCO to provide the billing details of residents of affected areas before and after the flood in the next meeting.

While discussing the current status of internal inquiry committee constituted to probe the causes of recent massive electricity breakdown in the country. Rsahid Mahmood, Secretary Power Division, stated that report of internal inquiry committee has been presented before Cabinet earlier Thursday and it will be presented before Senate Committee in the next meeting. The committee decided to discuss the report at-length in the next meeting.

Moreover, the senate body raised the matter of power breakdown in Quetta. The secretary power apprised that state minister has pointed out the matter and it will be resolved shortly.

Additionally, Chairman Committee Senator Saifullah Abro lamented the Power Division for freezing the recruitment process at interview stage for different positions in GEPCO and advertising the same posts thereafter. He directed the ministry to provide complete details of recruitment process conducted for the selection of eligible candidates in the next meeting.

The meeting was attended by Senator Fida Muhammad, Senator Prince Ahmed Umer Ahmedzai, Senator Moula Bux Chandio, Senator Saifullah Sarwar Khan Nyazee,Senator Zesshan Khanzada,Senator Haji Hidayatullah Khan,Senator Muhammad Akram, Senator Muhammad Asad Ali Junejo, Senator Sana Jamali, Secretary Power Division Rashid Mahmood, Additional Secretary Power Division Zafar Khan,Chairman NEPRA Tauseef H. Farooqi and concernd officers of relevant departments were also in attendance.