KARACHI - The Karachi Electric Supply Company (KESC) has recently adopted an implausible technique to make calls on the subscribers numbers and ask about the account number printed on their electricity bills. The call agents of KESC 118 call-centre make phone calls and ask the subscriber to provide them with the account number printed on their electricity bills, and the reason behind the action is to keep the companys record updated about the billing details of the subscriber. When asked the call agents at the companys call centre informed the Nation that it is compulsion they have to bear with, and the people abuse them when they phone the subscriber for asking such illogical question. The situation has become more pathetic when they have to bear with abusive language of the people who take it as interruption in their personal matters, they added. This is funny as the bills are issued by the company and they do not know about the account numbers printed on that, so it seems that the company has nothing to do about increasing their power generation but to play games with the masses, said a subscriber. He further said that it was impossible to comprehend this new gimmick of the company which showed as if they had given ample relief to the citizens, while the fact is that KESC is unable to provide uninterrupted power supply to the citizens even in winter when the power demand is not much. It is sad that the KESC, which is already generating more than Rs. 5 billion monthly only through its billing, has been working unscrupulously to generate as much revenue as they can without having any consideration for the subscribers financial status. It was earlier reported in the media that KESC is setting up to increase the tariff rate of electricity with the consent of NEPRA, while the government has to withdraw the amount of subsidy of around Rs. 12 billion, therefore, the company and the government have decided to pass on this burden to the general public. In September 2008, electricity tariff was increased by 45 per cent by the company, but the huge hue and cry from all walks of life forced the government to withdraw 13 per cent of the tariff increment. According to the previous than above-mentioned increased tariff the domestic consumer of 300 units a month were charged Rs. 4.80 per unit, and after the increment this was charged as Rs. 6.13 per unit. Similarly, the consumers between 300 to 1000 units were charged Rs. 8.58 per unit according to the increased tariff rates in the month of October. Now, they had been charged with Rs. 8.26 per unit, as the 13 % amount had been detected after the revision. This amount had mount up to Rs. 11 per unit after the inclusion of taxes. The slab of 1,000 and above units had the increment of Rs. 9.84 per unit in previous increment. The users of this slab had been charged Rs. 9.94 per unit. The actual amount to be paid by these consumers had been Rs. 12 to 13 per unit. The general public complains that the government and KESC have been failed in their attempts to provide relief to the public in the metropolis. It is to be noted that the condition of this utility is now suffering as the commercial and industrial users of electricity resume their functioning. During Eid holidays these markets and mills were closed, this had relaxed the pressure of power production in the city. But as soon as these activities in the city gained their momentum, the KESC regained its position. The City is facing 5 hours of loadshedding daily. It is occurring on rotational bases for 1.30 hours thrice a day, and the City is facing acute shortage of 300 to 400 MWs on daily basis. The KESC is the only supplier of electricity to the metropolitan. This has given them the upper hand to manipulate the situation of electricity and its distribution in the City. On the other hand, the company has also stopped purchasing electricity from the IPPs as the latter have almost stopped the power generation due to non-payment.