Forced power shutdowns irk Pindiites

Rawalpindi

The Islamabad Electric Supply Company (Iesco) is continuing power shutdowns of 4 to 6 hours on alternative days in different localities. The helpless consumers of city and cantonment localities are facing around 12 hours loadshedding (6 hours of power shutdown and 6 hours of scheduled loadshedding) on alternative days under the excuse of maintenance work.

The residents of Adiala Road, Munawar Colony, Defence Road, Usama Street, Kalyal, Saleha Street, Sher Zaman Colony, Mubarak Lane, Jarahi, Gorakh Pur, Tulsa and several other areas faced 5 hours of power shutdown from 9:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. on Thursday. The affected residents not only faced 5 hours of power shutdown but faced scheduled loadshedding of 1 hour after three hours.

Islamabad Electric Supply Company (Iesco) Sub-Divisional Officer (SDO) Adiala Muhammad Ali told ‘The News’ that it was power shutdown therefore consumers faced problems. “We are observing 6 hours scheduled loadshedding but we could not do anything against forced power shutdowns,” he claimed.

A survey conducted by ‘The News’ that Islamabad Electric Supply Company (Iesco) did power shutdowns in different areas on alternative days. It was third power shutdown in Adiala Sub Division in a week. The residents of Committee Chowk, Mukha Singh Estate, Dhoke Chiraghdin, Gulistan Colony, Morgah, People’s Colony, Lalkurti, Pirwadhai, Asghar Mall, Bagh Sardaran, Rawat, Dhoke Mangtal, Ganjmandi, Dhok Ratta, Askari-14, Askari-7, Chur, Misriyal, Girja, Dhamyal, Satellite Town, Double Road, Sadiqabad, Muslim Town, Muhallah Naik Alam, Golra, Shah Allah Ditta, Gora Syedan, Jhangi Syedan, Kurri, Sikriya, Khanna Dak, Tipu Road, Chamanzar, Raheemabad, Jhanda Chichi, Garibabad and Scheme No-III said that they e are also facing three to four days power shutdowns in a week. We are not only facing power shutdowns but facing 6 hours of scheduled loadshedding as well, they complained. 

The Islamabad Electric Supply Company (Iesco) official spokesman Raja Azim Nazir said that they have given schedule of 6 hours loadsshedding in urban areas while 8 hours in rural areas in a day. But, some time we are doing shutdowns because of maintenance work, he claimed.

Long hours of unscheduled loadshedding have also created water shortage as majority of tube wells are without generators and therefore they cannot be operated without electricity.  

“It was very difficult for us to bear the hot weather without electricity, as we could not sleep in night,” Yasmeen Zafar, a consumer strongly denounced. The Islamabad Electric Supply Company (Iesco) should not adopt tricky ways to tease public otherwise they will face the music when public come out on roads, she warned.

Mukhtar Ahmed, a resident of Saleha Street said that they faced 5 hours of power shutdown first than faced 6 hours of scheduled loadshedding here on Thursday. Why government not asking Iesco authorities to stop these kinds of foolish tricks, he denounced. He said that all political parties are fighting with each other instead of resolving public issues. They should come on a page if they want to address public grievances. Punjab government is doing a lot for dengue control but not providing electricity, he said.

The affected consumer have advised government for not doing politics of basic needs like electricity, gas and water otherwise it will create an unrest situation in society.