KHANEWAL
An embezzlement of Rs200 million in the affairs of Mepco has been unearthed in Jahanian as huge number of electricity poles and transformers meant for installation were shown stolen by the officials concerned after seven years of disappearance of the material, it is learnt.
Former SDO Nasarullah Nasir, LS Waseem, SDC Rashid, linemen Asadullah, Iqbal and his son along with many others allegedly looted the material worth about Rs200 million seven years ago.
Electricity poles dispatched ago from Wapda Poles Factory never reached the places of installation and the SDO claimed that the material had been stolen in an FIR registered by him after the prolonged period.
Iqbal and Company Faisalabad had dispatched 119-36HT poles worth Rs178,5000 to Old Kacha Khu Feeder through a letter RSM/25-3-2008 but the supply never reached the destination.
Similarly, 600 poles received by SDO Constructions Nasrullah were never installed anywhere. After seven years of the corruption, the former SDO reached the police station Jahanian on February 2, 2015 and got an FIR registered, saying that the poles and other items were stolen from the store of Mepco.
The process for electrification in a residential town is very lengthy for a common person. It starts from the approval of construction plan of the town from tehsil management authority and after the approval, the file is prepared to submit in Wapda Planning Department where according to the procedure after site inspection, an estimated cost is mentioned to submit through demand notices. The owner of that town deposits it in the respective bank branch.
After completion of the procedure, the file is transferred to RRE division which is responsible for the installation of equipment accordingly and electric supply is provided to the towns.
However, the officials ignored the process required by the law, and provided electric supply to 15 towns of Jahanian. The consumers had even not paid the amount under demand notices. These hundreds of meters in Jahanian were installed without completing the due course of procedures and bogus land record and spurious projection plans were mentioned. They showed 30 to 40 meters distance between poles and the place of meter installation instead of real 5 to 10 metres while the remaining wire was stolen in the market.
When contacted, Mepco XEN Aamir Rashid confirmed the corruption, and said that a letter had been written to Mepco SE Mehmood Khan for launching a departmental inquiry into the issue. It corruption proved, legal action will be taken against the accused. He further added that Mr Nasarullah had been transferred to Vehari.