Municipal Library without electricity for over a month

Rawalpindi

Electricity transformer of Rawalpindi Municipal Library has been out of order for almost a month and the members and staffers of the library are facing hell like situation round the clock due to hot and humid weather, thanks to the apathy of local management and Islamabad Electric Supply Company (Iesco).

The concerned authority has not arranged Rs150,000 to buy new electricity transformer while local management is presenting the excuse for lack of funds which has resulted inconvenience to readers and students who have stopped coming to the library. The electricity supply of municipal library near Liaquat Bagh stopped in July 12, 2016.

Rawalpindi Municipal Library (RML) In-Charge Chaudhry Shahbaz Ahmed said they have been without electricity for a month and have informed the DCO and EDO (F&P) about it. “But, there are no funds to arrange a transformer of Rs150,000,” he claimed. He said that District Coordination Officer (DCO) has ordered Executive District Officer (EDO) Finance and Planning to arrange Rs150,000 to buy a transformer. Problem will be resolved in a couple of days, he assured.

Islamabad Electric Supply Company (Iesco) Executive Engineer (XEN) Asif Ullah Khan said that concerned authority never paid them any kind of money therefore they never provided them the transformer. “Secondly, library management has never complained to us,” he claimed. As soon as library management will arrange money then we will install the new transformer,” he assured. 

Rawalpindi Municipal Library (RML), the only public library in the garrison city is situated along Benazir Bhutto Road and was established by the British in 1873. Originally, it had 1,000 books and more than 25 members and once boasted 50,000 books and 7,000 members.

It is currently the third largest library in Punjab with about 46,000 books and other facilities. About 8,000 of these were lost and many more damaged in the July 23 floods which hit the garrison city in 2001.

To make up for this loss, the education ministry provided 3,000 books, while an additional 5,000 were donated by the French embassy. The Norwegian embassy also donated carpets and some other necessary items to the library. However, the library has now lost its hustle and bustle. It was due to lack of interest of local management.

Once the heaven of book-lovers and researchers, RML now presents a deserted look. Even the number of general members has reduced to 200 due to the absence of facilities at the library.

“I am a regular visitor of the library but I have stopped visiting the library because of hot and humid weather. The library has been without light for more than a month but nobody is taking action to rectify the situation,” said Muhammad Irfan, a student of 4th year. It was an ideal place particularly for student but we are facing hell like situation without electricity, he denounced.

“Only a few people regularly visit the library. Approximately, 70 to 80 people visit it daily, but none of them use the reading halls which are now without electricity,” Library staff on condition of anonymity told ‘The News.’

Shazia Noreen, a local reader said that how could they sit in the library without electricity. “I am regularly complaining for provision of electricity in the library but nobody is taking it seriously,” she denounced.

“After the flash floods in Leh Nullah in 2001, the library was renovated and members actively visited it. However, since 2005, members have lost their interest in the library due to the absence of basic facilities such as heaters or coolers.” A visit to the library clearly shows the appalling conditions.

Another official of library on condition of anonymity said, “Natural gas was suspended three years ago due to non-payment. Even now Rs72,000 utility bill is pending but the education department has no money to pay it.” He said air-conditioners were also available, and bulbs and tube-lights had been installed. However, since there was no proper electricity wiring system, none of these appliances were operational. An estimated Rs100,000 is required for the installation of a proper wiring system, but the department has turned a blind eye to the issue,” the official said. Therefore, due to the absence of such facilities, people have avoided visiting the library.

Sultan Akhtar, another visitor said that local government has completely failed to maintain Rawalpindi Municipal Library as there was no electricity for more than 30 days. It is shameful for local management that they could not manage to buy electricity transformer even after a month, he said.

The library has three main halls. Earlier, the administration paid attention to women visitors and allocated a separate women-only reading room. It was later closed and women were allocated a single table only.

The public of garrison city has appealed Chief Minister Shahbaz Sharif to consider the matter seriously otherwise Rawalpindi Municipal Library will be shamble.