February 23, 2002	Saturday	Zilhaj 10, 1422

KARACHI, Feb 22: Contrary to the forecast of the Pakistan Meteorological Department — according to which Friday should have been “sunny” — the city received an average of five millimetre rain which was largely accompanied by power shutdowns.

A PMD official said the observatory in Faisal Base had received eight millimetre rain, in Masroor Base two millimetre, in North Karachi over three millimetre and in Baldia eight millimetre rain.

“As a result of rains, the humidity — the amount of moisture in the air — had risen to 66 per cent, from Thursday’s 52 per cent. The rain, however, did not change the maximum temperature of the city significantly, which stood at 27.5 degrees Centigrade.”

Sources in the transmission and distribution network of the Karachi Electric Supply Corporation said that many feeders, being too fragile to withstand rains, had tripped, causing power breakdowns in almost as many localities as had received the rain.

Residents calling from different localities told Dawn that since Thursday, the situation of power supply had been very bad, especially in Gulistan-i-Jauher, Gulshan-i-Iqbal, North Karachi, KDA scheme 1, Malir, North Nazimabad, Nazimabad, Federal B Area, Defence, Malir, Garden West, Clifton and Kharadar.

A resident of New Karachi, sector 11-G, said that worshippers in his locality had had to offer Friday prayers without electricity. “The Muezzin recited Azan from the rooftop of the mosque because due to the power failure he could not use the loud-speaker.”

A very indignant Mohammad Ali Saeed called from Rizvia Society, saying that attendants at the complaint centre of his area were extremely impolite. He added that one attendant had told him that the complaint centre had only one vehicle, though he had received more than 450 complaints.

A resident of Gulshan-i-Shameem, Yaseenabad, said his locality had experienced a power shutdown immediately after the rain at 1pm. “Our electric supply has not yet been restored,” he added.

A resident of Gulistan-i-Jauher, Block 17, said it had rained a lot in his area. “When my children started rejoicing at the rain, I told them that they were in for a power shutdown. Sure enough, we had a power cut before long,” he said.

He added that in addition to his block many other areas were also facing a power shutdown.

Another resident of Gulistan-i-Jauher, Block 17, said the KESC staff at his regional complaint centre had told him that they had switched off some feeders as a preventive measure.

A resident of Federal B Area, Block 12, said his locality had been without electricity from 2pm to 4pm.

“It was not a localized fault as no KESC vehicle came to the area to remove the fault. Our regional complaint centre, though, kept telling us that it was a localized fault,” he said.

The KESC sources defended the practice of turning off feeders during rain. “If a feeder or a pole-mounted transformer breaks down during the rain, the power utility will need a lot of time and money to repair it. We are, therefore, normally instructed to switch off feeders during rain.”

KESC: Friday afternoon saw heavy rain in the coastal and adjoining city areas causing power failure and tripping of feeders in parts of Defence, Clifton, West Wharf, Old Town, Mauripur, Landhi, Malir, Korangi and Orangi, adds APP.

10 grid stations were also affected. The Landhi grid tripped at 1 pm and was reenergised at 6 pm. A KESC spokesman said the situation remained under control in others parts of the city. The disrupted power supply was restored immediately after the rain stopped.

The managing director KESC, Brig Tariq Saddozai, immediately ordered the power distribution engineers to rush to the operation room at the Elander Road power station and remain there on duty despite being on gazetted Eid holidays.

He told them to remain on duty at all the 53 complaint centres until each and every fault was fully rectified. Chief engineer Khalid Iqbal supervised the power restoration work.

The spokesman said that power supply remained suspended for two hours as feeders were not switched on until the rain had stopped and it was also not possible to work on overhead installations when it was raining.

The spokesman said that KESC’s MD was due to visit various city areas again during the night as well as on Saturday to see if power complaints were entertained properly bt the KESC staff.