On behalf of millions of customers, I suggest that Karachi Electric (KE) should allow its customers to install electric meters themselves, in order to decrease the financial burden on KE. In the status quo, a so-called survey is conducted by the KE staff, which is mandatory for installing a new meter. The surveyors then ask the home owner to deposit Rs 40,000 to 75,000, including the cost of a meter for a single story house. This practice is only to enable KE to get large amounts from home owners, who have already paid this amount when the house was being constructed. There should be no charges for a meter. There are poles and wires in all areas and bringing a wire from the main pole to a meter should not cost so much, but there are no checks and balances on KE or any other government owned institution. I understand that all companies want to make money, but this has to stop somewhere, and we have to stop stealing from our own people.
MOHAMMAD KHAN SIAL,
Karachi, June 24.