Govt-KESC management talks remain deadlocked

Sacked employees of KESC gather outside the office during a protest in Karachi.—AFP/File photo

KARACHI: Talks between the government and KESC management remained deadlocked till late on Monday night as the latter was not ready to budge from its stated position on the Voluntary Separation Scheme (VSS) and other issues, forcing the utility`s workers to resume their sit-in and once again converge on its headquarters and Fowara Chowk in protest against the management`s decision to sack 4,500 employees.
The meeting was called by Sindh Governor Ishratul Ibad, who had given an assurance to KESC union leaders last week that their problems would be solved by Monday.
The union leaders said they could not wait indefinitely and would take a decision according to the situation, adding that the onus would be on the management. CBA chairman Aqhlaq Ahmad told Dawn after midnight that the authorities had sought more time. He said that for larger goals “we are prepared to concede that and hope that there will be a positive outcome”.
Intense negotiations with the KESC management continued at the Governor`s House till the filing of this report. The union leaders waited anxiously at the Commissioner`s House as the July 25 deadline given by the governor passed without any outcome.
The management`s arrogance was also noted by the government as the former refused to move forward from its stated position of not taking back those employees who were placed in the surplus pool after being declared non-core employees and offered the VSS.
Even the perseverance of the governor, Home Minister Manzoor Wassan and PPP`s provincial Secretary General Taj Haider did not help in persuading the KESC management to budge from their rigid position on the controversial VSS, payment of stalled salary and the issue of terminated employees during almost three months of protest and brinkmanship with the management.

Power tariff to be raised by 2pc: minister

Mr Qamar said that he had issued instructions to chief executive officers of power companies to ensure 100 per cent recovery of bills. — File Photo

HYDERABAD: Minister for Water and Power Syed Naveed Qamar has rejected reports that power tariff is being increased by six per cent, saying there is a proposal to raise it by only two per cent which is necessary.
He said that if electricity tariff was not raised, the government would have to provide subsidy, which would be a burden on the exchequer.
Speaking at a reception hosted by the Hyderabad Press Club on Saturday, he said in future no oil-based power plant would be installed and efforts would be made to increase power production through water and coal.
He said the department had been given strict instructions to ensure 100 per cent recovery of bills and not to spare anyone in this regard.
The minister said that unfortunately 100 per cent recovery of bills was not being made. He, however, claimed the present government had made improvement in this regard.
Mr Qamar said that he had issued instructions to chief executive officers of power companies to ensure 100 per cent recovery of bills.
He made it clear that laxity in the recovery of bills would not be tolerated and nobody would be spared.
At present 14,000 megawatt of electricity was being produced and efforts were being made to produce electricity through water and coal and give up the use of furnace oil, the power minister said.
He said that 3,000MW electricity had been added to the system by the government of the Pakistan People’s Party and
1,200MW had been added during his tenure as water and power minister.
He said that work was under way on 12 new projects, claiming that the schemes would help overcome the power crisis.
He said that it was not possible to end loadshedding immediately because there was a wide gap between demand and supply.
He said that the shortage of gas was also affecting electricity production.
He said that the work on the Neelum-Jhelum power project was going on at a hectic pace and it would be completed very soon.
In reply to a question about KESC, the minister said the on-going dispute between the administration and the labour union was expected to be resolved soon, after which the power crisis in Karachi would come to an end.
Mr Qamar was conferred life membership of the press club for his contribution in getting funds released for journalists’ colony in Hyderabad