Power breakdown irks people

Rawalpindi: The residents of several localities of Chaklala Cantonment areas faced a severe power breakdown lasting 11 hours on Thursday, irking them greatly in the scorching heat of summer.

The areas hit by the worst power breakdown included, Sherzaman Colony, Akram Shaheed Road, Aslam Road, Tulsa Road, Dhoke Juma, Dheri Hassanabad, Ghousia Chowk, Kalma Chowk, Adiala, Harley Street, Aslam Road, Dhamiyal etc. According to the residents, the power supply went off at 2’O clock afternoon and was not restored till 1 a.m. midnight of Friday. For 11 continued hours the people of this hit localities perspired in hot and humid weather of summer. With electricity suspended, the water motors were not operational and people faced problem of water shortage as well thus preventing them to take a bath to beat the scorching heat. The water supply from civic body also remained suspended due to power failure during the breakdown timings. Small children were reportedly crying in the hot and humid weather in the absence of electricity for a long duration of 11 hours.

As night fell, people did find relief as mosquitoes targeted them badly. Talking to this correspondent, the people severely criticized the Iesco authorities for its failure to rectify the complaint of power suspension despite scores of complaints lodged to them. The related SDOs of their respective sub stations kept their cellular powered off in order to save their skin.

According to the residents, similar type of situation occurred in their areas even a week ago as the Iesco suspended power supply for a long duration from 3 pm to late midnight. Moreover, on other days in day timinings, Iesco resort to power load shedding from 10.30 morning to 6 p.m. evening which is high handedness against us, they alleged.

Despite long hours of power suspensions done by Iesco in day and night time, no difference in usage of units and charges in electricity bills is seen. Rather Iesco charges huge amounts in electricity bills, the people claimed and regretted upon it. The practice of power suspensions has become a regular affair which is done by Iesco on excuses of fault in Transformer, break out of fire in grid stations and overloading and replacing of electricity lines. All such excuses are not true the people believed. They appealed to the related minister to take strong notice against power failures being done by Iesco authorities without any announcement and schedule. Like the political leaders, the Prime Minister Imran Khan needs to take action even against the Iesco officials for their failure to improve the power supply system and resorting to power suspensions through a practice, they people demanded.