Long-hour power outages again hit heat-stricken people

Rawalpindi

After Eidul Fitr, the residents of city and cantonment board localities are once again facing long hours of power outages, tripping and low voltage.

City and cantonment areas particularly Pirwadhai, Adiala Road, Defence Road, Lalkurti, Caltex Road, Sher Zaman Colony, Rawat, Gulistan Colony, Waris Khan, Mukha Sing Estate, Gorakh Pure, Chur, Chaman Zar, Arya Mohallah, Jamia Masjid Road, Banni, Pindora, Asghar Mall and several other localities are facing this problem as electricity disappears after every 20 minutes and sometime after 5 minutes.

No doubt, Islamabad Electric Supply Company (Iesco) provided uninterrupted power supply in majority of areas during three days of Eid but it seems that after Eid the concerned authorities are recovering the losses. The helpless residents are trying to know the real picture as they are facing unscheduled loadshedding day and night in the name of major fault in main supply lines or forced loadshedding.

On the other hand, Islamabad Electric Supply Company (Iesco) in its statement claimed that in forced loadshedding issue the department was helpless.

Islamabad Electric Supply Company (Iesco) Executive Engineer (Rawalpindi) Muhammad Kashif Shah has admitted that consumers of different areas are facing forced loadshedding. He told 'The News' that sometime feeder trip when load increases. "We are trying to provide electricity to public for maximum time but we cannot do anything against forced loadshedding," they claimed. He said that situation will be better after monsoon rains.

Public has strongly criticized the government for not providing power supply in peak summer season.

Talking to 'The News' heat-stricken residents said that concerned authorities are teasing public day and night through unscheduled loadshedding, fluctuations in voltage and tripping. After every 15 minutes or half an hour, light disappears creating difficulties for poor consumers. Due to voltage fluctuation many residents got their electric appliances damaged, they said.

Affected residents have appealed to the prime minister and minister for water and power for taking an immediate action against this situation.

The residents said that unscheduled and prolonged power outages have made life of a common man miserable.

Dr Benish, a resident of Sher Zaman Colony, said that long-duration and unscheduled loadshedding has disturbed their routine life. Why government is not understanding the problems of people and why they are spending billions of rupees in fruitless works rather than ending electricity crisis in the country, she said.

After increase in the loadshedding, water supply in the city has also been affected as majority of tube-wells are running on electricity and diesel.