December 31, 2002	Tuesday	Shawwal 26, 1423

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LANDI KOTAL, Dec 30: Protesting the prolonged loadshedding of electricity, residents of Loe Shalman area of Landi Kotal tehsil on Monday temporarily suspended water supply to Afghan refugees camp situated in the area.

Loe Shalman is badly hit by unannounced loadshedding for the last one and a half month.

Residents of the area complained that they were at times subjected to loadshedding for three consecutive days, making life miserable.

Piqued by the persistent problem, Shalman residents suspended water supply to the Afghan refugees camp. The camp at present houses around 1,800 refugee families.

All the water tankers were stopped on the main Shalman road, compelling the political administration to intervene.

Water supply was restored after an assurance made by the Landi Kotal Line Officer that uninterrupted power supply would be ensured to the area. Eight tankers supply water from Ghundakhel and Yousufkhel villages to the refugees camp.

Water pumps in these areas are being run by electricity.

The villagers charge Rs300 per tanker and, of late, the area residents have begun complaining of depleting underground water table in Loe Shalman because of excessive use by the Afghan refugees. Every family is supplied 5 litre of water daily.

An official of the camp told Dawn that they had so far spent around 5 million rupees on water supply.