06-28-2009, 12:23 AM
On the background of recent 18-36 hours complete black out in Karachi, the noble and most honourable Mr. Ardeshir Cowasjee explaining what is the role of regulatory body National Electric Power Regulatory Authority and how through big press public notices it invites all concerned to file their objections if any against any application from any electricity provider. Referring to KESCâs such an application he is very shy on the lethargic attitude of citizens of Karachi generally. He adds that a few who have read such a Notice state cynically âThis is but a formality; who will listen to us?â. Mr. Cowasjee, rightly, says that if you do not protest at the appropriate forum, how can anyone listen to you. Very right question.
Since last 10-15 years I have lost all confidence and trust on any regulatory body may it be SBP or PTA, SECP, special complaint cells, ombudsmen, On Line Complaints etc. My belief is these regulatory bodies are formed in fact to protect the interests of the elite. If space allows I quote an example. Late 90s both SBP and SECP enacted most non sense rule. Such a rule I am sure existed only in Pakistan. Space does not allow details. When I raised it at a higher level, since by then we had not earned 12 billion foreign exchange nor had entered into the list of top honoured nations I was properly listened on that forum. SECP agreed with the forum authority that the non sense rule will be amended. SECP later forwarded me a draft of amendment in which deliberately the non sense thing was again left but with new words. Since those were little good times I could not be fooled and corrected the draft. Whenever I checked with SECP progress, it told me the amendment was in progress. Seeing the persistent untiring follow up by this citizen after 5 years SECP came up with a final reply that businessmen do not agree to the amendment. Why businessmen happiness more important for regulatory body SECP than the natural sense!!! I have today the only confidence on Honourable Mr. Justice Iftikhar Mohammad Choudhary and his team but being a practical man this senior citizen well knew neither My Lordships are the remedy for every thing nor can we approach them for daily life problems. This is the belief of this senior citizen in our regulatory body today sit mostly mentally bankrupt officials â those who still have humane feelings and judicious honest attitude and are ALLAH fearing are not sitting on public dealing seats and are on back benches in departments.
The KESC billed and charged 300 units still unused units in the electricity bill received 20 November 2008 on which date the actual meter reading was 300 units less than billed figured. The âPresent Readingâ shown in this Bill practically came on the meter two months later. The Bill was prepared actually sitting in the Office as per KESC foreign investors unwritten policy to bill extra to get more into the account. Despite knowing it is just a waste of time but being a conscientious citizen who had learnt to fight against any injustice leaving the result aside, I filed my complaint No. cad-4713350 on 25/11/2008 with same NEPRA Mr. Cowasjee refers to. The purpose of approaching such regulatory bodies is to get immediate attention in this case NEPRA to immediately investigate by personally taking physical meter reading and decide so that the consumer saves his pocket being emptied to the extent service not used by him. Since I am not a big gun whose meter would remain alive despite non payment, I had to pay this extra â thanks to our vigilant civilian government protecting the rights of citizens. Checking today 24 June the status of the complaint On Line I find the complaint âClosedâ. During all this period I never received any communication from the NEPRA. How and on what basis it closed I am not aware of. The simple thing which logically appears to be is that NEPRA sought comments from KESC and found its views as usual very satisfactory and this senior citizen thus a big âLiarâ and a mentally ill fool who dared file a complaint against the nationâs highly respected foreign investors (modern smaller east india companies). I raise my question to noble Mr. Cowasjee that those who cynically replied to him that what use of approaching such regulatory bodies, are in fact real practical people or not avoiding waste of time and not fool like me. 4-5 month continuously my home had the same problem namely without taking physical meter reading sending bills. Another complaint for mothr bill another complaint cad-5215614 was filed on 24/02/2009. According to On Line Status today it is âIn-Processâ and I know fate would be the same that I would be found a âLiarâ.
Since last 10-15 years I have lost all confidence and trust on any regulatory body may it be SBP or PTA, SECP, special complaint cells, ombudsmen, On Line Complaints etc. My belief is these regulatory bodies are formed in fact to protect the interests of the elite. If space allows I quote an example. Late 90s both SBP and SECP enacted most non sense rule. Such a rule I am sure existed only in Pakistan. Space does not allow details. When I raised it at a higher level, since by then we had not earned 12 billion foreign exchange nor had entered into the list of top honoured nations I was properly listened on that forum. SECP agreed with the forum authority that the non sense rule will be amended. SECP later forwarded me a draft of amendment in which deliberately the non sense thing was again left but with new words. Since those were little good times I could not be fooled and corrected the draft. Whenever I checked with SECP progress, it told me the amendment was in progress. Seeing the persistent untiring follow up by this citizen after 5 years SECP came up with a final reply that businessmen do not agree to the amendment. Why businessmen happiness more important for regulatory body SECP than the natural sense!!! I have today the only confidence on Honourable Mr. Justice Iftikhar Mohammad Choudhary and his team but being a practical man this senior citizen well knew neither My Lordships are the remedy for every thing nor can we approach them for daily life problems. This is the belief of this senior citizen in our regulatory body today sit mostly mentally bankrupt officials â those who still have humane feelings and judicious honest attitude and are ALLAH fearing are not sitting on public dealing seats and are on back benches in departments.
The KESC billed and charged 300 units still unused units in the electricity bill received 20 November 2008 on which date the actual meter reading was 300 units less than billed figured. The âPresent Readingâ shown in this Bill practically came on the meter two months later. The Bill was prepared actually sitting in the Office as per KESC foreign investors unwritten policy to bill extra to get more into the account. Despite knowing it is just a waste of time but being a conscientious citizen who had learnt to fight against any injustice leaving the result aside, I filed my complaint No. cad-4713350 on 25/11/2008 with same NEPRA Mr. Cowasjee refers to. The purpose of approaching such regulatory bodies is to get immediate attention in this case NEPRA to immediately investigate by personally taking physical meter reading and decide so that the consumer saves his pocket being emptied to the extent service not used by him. Since I am not a big gun whose meter would remain alive despite non payment, I had to pay this extra â thanks to our vigilant civilian government protecting the rights of citizens. Checking today 24 June the status of the complaint On Line I find the complaint âClosedâ. During all this period I never received any communication from the NEPRA. How and on what basis it closed I am not aware of. The simple thing which logically appears to be is that NEPRA sought comments from KESC and found its views as usual very satisfactory and this senior citizen thus a big âLiarâ and a mentally ill fool who dared file a complaint against the nationâs highly respected foreign investors (modern smaller east india companies). I raise my question to noble Mr. Cowasjee that those who cynically replied to him that what use of approaching such regulatory bodies, are in fact real practical people or not avoiding waste of time and not fool like me. 4-5 month continuously my home had the same problem namely without taking physical meter reading sending bills. Another complaint for mothr bill another complaint cad-5215614 was filed on 24/02/2009. According to On Line Status today it is âIn-Processâ and I know fate would be the same that I would be found a âLiarâ.
