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LASHKARGAH (SW): The Taliban militants in southern Helmand province are collecting four times more revenue from the population as charges of electricity than the public utility Da Afghanistan Breshna Shirkat (DABS), locals said on Wednesday.
Provincial council members and a number of residents complained that the Taliban are collecting millions of afghanis as electricity bills from the locals. Taliban are said to be collecting power utility payments from Sangin, Kajaki and Musa Qala districts. According to the locals, some three thousand water wells are in functional in these districts, the Taliban pocket 1800 afghanis every 6 months from each of them.
Abdul Majid Akhunzada, deputy chairman of the provincial council, confirmed that the Taliban collect the utility bills worth 4 times more than the original price set by DABS.
Nasrullah Qaneh, head of provincial DABS, addressing a presser on Wednesday said, the DABS is only collecting electricity bills from Lashkargah city and Girishk district, the rest of the income is pocketed by the Taliban.
Out of 36 megawatt electricity of Helmand province, 12 megawatt is transferred to Kandahar, 6 megawatt is consumed in government controlled areas of the province while the rest is utilized in Taliban controlled areas.
ENDS
