Shangla faces severe power outages despite promises

ALPURI: Power load-shedding in Shangla district continues unabated, with electricity being cut off every hour.

When it rains, feeders in various areas are shut down, and entire nights go by without power. Despite the installation of a new line from the Kotki Grid Station, it remains unconnected, causing frequent outages on the old line even with minor faults. Rainy days often become powerless days in the district.

The claim of Federal Minister Engineer Amir Maqam, who is also the Member National Assembly from Shangla, about eight-hour load-shedding on social media has proven to be false. The power cuts happen every second hour, often exceeding 18 hours a day.

While Shangla is generating 80 megawatts of electricity from the Khan Khwar Dam, the entire district only requires six megawatts, yet the area remains in darkness.The construction of the dam at Ranyal has rendered thousands of acres of agricultural land barren, leaving the area from Ranyal up to Bisham parched. Local water channels and mills have dried up, and while electricity generated from this area electrifies Islamabad, the locals are left with dry fields and dark homes.The prevailing situation is an embarrassment for the elected representatives from the area, raising serious questions about their performance.