Karachi, 26 March 2014: K-Electric (KE) in its latest press statement has rejected claims in which it was said that that KE legalizes the illegal hook or ‘Kunda’ connections. KE has categorically denied such false claims and has said that Hook (Kunda) Connection is a fait accompli for KE where Illegal users draw electricity from KE’s LT distribution system directly through hook without applying formally for metered connections.
The press statement explained that these illegal connections mushroom into K-Electric’s system without any authorization made by KE. The company has been spreading awareness amongst the masses to eradicate this culture of illegal use of electricity and in fact has been motivating such illegal users to apply for proper metered connections.
The menace of Hook or ‘Kunda’ connections in the city is mainly concentrated in areas with the worst law and order situations. There are organized & influential groups behind promoting the kunda culture in such areas that keep on sabotaging KE’s efforts to eradicate this culture. The statement also stated that KE’s personnel are physically manhandled, abused and are given threats of personal harm whenever there is a drive against these illegal Kunda connections and whenever they are pulled down. Despite such Law & order situation of the city and near absence of Law Enforcement Agencies’ support, KE is still determined to eradicate this menace from Karachi and hold such anti-kunda drives almost on a daily basis.
Another growing challenge for the power utility has been the mere fact that the Provincial and the Federal Authorities are not curbing the ever increasing growth of ‘Katchi Abadis’. KE would like to mention and clarify that the power utility is in the business of generating and distributing electricity across the city and not restrain the growth of such ‘Katchi Abadis’. This is the job of the Provincial Government especially to keep this growth in check and to provide all basic necessities to such people as losses and theft of electricity are at their highest level in such areas and without the support of law-enforcing agencies, it becomes a mammoth task for KE to disconnect power or remove illegal hooks from such localities.
Despite challenges, to control line losses, KE regularly conducts Kunda removal drives in which such illegal connections are removed in huge quantities, but because of the political backing and easy access to KE’s LT system, the miscreants immediately get reconnected within a few hours.
K-Electric is also working on converting bare conductors in its LT distribution system into aerial bundled cables to prevent illegal use of electricity. This will also help motivating the habitual hook users to turn up and apply for legal metered connections with KE.
The same was explained in detail to NEPRA in previous discussions and hearing called by NEPRA. Based on the explanation, KE has been asked to submit the progress report by NEPRA which will be submitted in due course.