20000214

Outstanding

dues of Wapda:

Sindh govt

clarification

KARACHI: A spokesman of Sindh government has clarified the position regarding the outstanding dues of Wapda as indicated by Member Finance Wapda and reported in a section of press.

A handout issued on Saturday said:

"The spokesman has clarified that the liability of Rs 10.0 billion by Wapda is incorrect and it has not been accepted in the Arbitration Award of Justice Shafi-ur-Rehman. On the contrary Wapda has to pay Rs 2.7 billion go Government of Sindh according to the Award.

"The Government of Sindh is making payments of current bills from July 1999 based on the correct meter readings. However most of the bills being received from Wapda are incorrect and inflated and such bills are being returned to Wapda for correction, he added.

"The spokesman said that most of the current bills also contain arrears before 1st July 1999 which are also being returned for correction because the period upto 30th June 1999 is covered under Arbitration Award.

"The spokesman further said that arbitration agreement between Government of Sindh and Wapda mentions disputed period to be from 1st July 1994 and arbitrator has rightly given his award accordingly. Both the Government of Sindh and Wapda are signatories to the arbitration agreement and as such they are morally and legal bound to abide by the arbitrator's decision. Government of Sindh has shown inclination to accept the award subject to the correction of some minor error, but Wapda has declined to do so. According to the figures reported by Wapda themselves nearly 80 percent of the meters are defective which have not yet been replaced in spite of Wapda's commitment that replacements would be done by March 1999. Government of Sindh reiterate their assurance to pay correct bills of Wapda but in no case the payments of highly inflated and incorrect bills can be made under any circumstances, he concluded.ÑPR