LARKANA, Aug 27: The delay in power connection hampers the early operation of the medium wave radio station, Larkana.

The authorities concerned had applied for getting an electricity connection in 1996 but to date Hesco has failed to provide supply at the site of the transmission tower near Chuharpur.

The sources told this correspondent on Tuesday that the work on upgrading the Radio Pakistan, Larkana station, started in April 1997 but due to the ups and downs of the government it came to a halt the same year. It was only restarted last year.

Now the ministry of information and broadcasting expects to open it in the first week of October.

It is a project worth Rs89.5 million on which 95 per cent of the work has been completed.

Sources said the 10 kilo watts transmitter has been allotted a frequency of 1,305 kilo hertz.

The four studios have been completed adjacent to the already functioning FM Radio Station, Larkana.

Sources said that the Wapda was making lame excuses in providing supply to the transmission tower.

On being approached, the chief executive of Hesco gave Aug 15 as the deadline for the power supply but so far nothing had been done, sources in Radio Pakistan added.

It was also learnt that seepage inside the boundaries of the transmitter compelled Radio Pakistan workers to delay erecting the tower.

TWO COPS SHOT DEAD: A group of unidentified armed men shot dead two policemen, Imdad Ali and Munnawar Ali, near the Lashari village on the outskirts of Ratodero on Tuesday.