Chitral residents seek action against Wapda ‘inefficiency’

CHITRAL: The residents of Chitral have asked Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif to take action against the Wapda and power distribution company for their failure to repair fallen pylons and get the people rid of the electricity loadshedding.

“The people in Chiral are experiencing 7-8 hours power cuts daily despite producing surplus electricity because of the inefficiency of Wapda and the power distribution company,” said a statement quoting the residents as saying.

They said that a hydel power project was completed at a cost of Rs32 billion and former prime minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi had then formally inaugurated it a few years ago.

However, they said that the powerhouse was producing 108 megawatt electricity but later two power pylons collapsed at the Lowari Top due to excessive snowfall in the area in December last.

The residents said that on the directives of Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz president and former prime minister Mian Muhammad Nawaz Sharif, ex-PM Khaqan Abbasi had also approved a separate grid-station at Jotilashat and supply of 35 megawatt electricity from Golen Gol powerhouse. They said that the demand for electricity for two districts was only 15 megawatt but still the people were experiencing excessive power outages. They appealed to the prime minister and energy minister to take action against the Wapda and the power distribution company for their inefficiency, repair the destroyed power supply line and facilitate the local residents.