PESHAWAR: The people from different walk of life in Peshawar and Chitral Sunday threatened to stage a sit-in if the hours-long electricity load shedding in their areas was not stopped within 24 hours.
In a separate statement they warned of launching a protest movement and blocking main roads, locking down Wapda House and circling the power houses if the problem was not resolved within 24 hours. They said the step-motherly attitude with their areas would not be tolerated any more.
“It is not an justified act that during the holy month of Ramadan there was five hours long load-shedding on daily basis despite the district producing more electricity as it needed,” one of the elder expressed his concern about the situation and miseries of the residents.
They said the excessive load shedding is not causing miseries to domestic consumers but also business has come to a standstill.
They said the Pesco authorities should take the matter seriously or else they would be responsible for any untoward incident.
Chitral have sufficient electricity and about 15 megawatt power is extra from consumption they failed no response of the question.
They said former Prime Minister Shahid Haqqan Abbasi has announced that there would be no load shedding at Chitral on the inauguration of 107 Megawatt Golain power house when its first phase of 35 megawatt completed this year.
The speakers given deadline of three days that if Pesco and GSO staff does not stopped load shedding at Chitral they will come to roads once again and will lock Pesco and Grid Station office.
The people of Chitral have complained that they are compelled to break the Ramadan fast on the bank of the river due to excessive power load-shedding. The local people said load-shedding of 12 to 16 hours is being carried out in most areas due to which they often don’t have ice at the Iftar time and use water of a well at a local hotel. They said the load-shedding duration has been increased in Ramadan which has increased their difficulties. They demanded the government to end excessive load-shedding in the Holy month of Ramadan.
Meanwhile, the resident of Charsadda road Peshawar called the office and expressed grave concerned about the un-called load shedding in the Sehri and Aftar. Haji Ishfaq Ahmad Khan, a notable of the area, said that despite tall claims by the government that there will be no electricity load shedding in Sehr and Iftar, hours long unscheduled load shedding is still being carried out on Main Charsadda Road, Nasapa Balla.
“We are paying out utility bills and as promised by the Pesco officials that there would no load shedding where they got full recovery but despite all such promises they are hours-long load-shedding,” he maintained.
The Pesco consumers have demanded of the government to fulfill its promise that it made with the masses prior to Ramadan. The dwellers of Gulab Khana, Garhi Malik Ahmad, Haiderzai, Garhi Machine, Manakrao, Garhi Loharan and Gulabad areas in Landi Arbab, sub-division of Pesco Khyber Circle, and Nawan Kalli, Canal Road, Pushtakhara Bala, Payan, and Sarband, areas of Pushtakhara sub-division, New Lala Zar Colony, Nasapa Balla situated at the outskirt of provincial metropolis were kept in the dark for almost nine to 10 hours.
“The electricity loadshedding is a routine matter in these areas, but it is quite injustice and unfair with us as the government has announced not to carry out load shedding in Sehr and Iftar timing, but despite that they faced the shutdown,” the residents complained.
“We are being treated step-motherly by the Pesco officials, as the corrupt and dishonest officials divert this electricity to posh areas, where most of the influential people are living,” Ishfaq Ahmad Khan, a local, said.
He said despite paying heavy utility bills every month, they had been facing 14 to 16 hours long load-shedding. The posh areas have higher electricity theft chances due to their higher electricity consumption but despite this fact they have been facing less load shedding problem, he maintained.
He also alleged that there are certain officials in the Chardadda Road Road electricity grid station, who are taking a huge amount daily from the CNG filling stations, to give them sooth electricity supply beyond the scheduled load shedding and put this extra burden upon common consumers.
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