KARACHI: Power failures persist as mercury goes up
By Our Staff Reporter
KARACHI, April 26: While the Karachi Electric Supply Corporation has brought all its energies to bear upon the recovery of dues, it seems to be oblivious of the fact that fluctuations in power supply caused by its erratic transmission and distribution system cost its customers dearly.
The residents of Badar Commercial, Phase V, in Defence learnt this late Friday night a sharp swing in power supply damaged their home appliances and other electronic goods. Calling from the locality, a resident said: “At least, fifty people in the area were incensed when power supply fluctuations resulted in damage to their home appliances. In a body, they went to the power house of the locality to lodge their protest, but it seems to have little effect on the thick-skinned officials of the KESC because the problem is persisting.”
He wondered how the KESC handled power complaints from low-income areas when residents of the so-called posh localities — from where the power utility earned more than most areas of city — failed to get the attention of the KESC highups. “The KESC has, on paper, divided the entire Defence region into three zones. But this effort is aimed at recovering dues from people. Nothing is being done to ensure that customers get uninterrupted power supply.”
Calling from North Nazimabad, Block N, a resident said her locality had been without electricity the previous night.
“Having to sleep without fans is an ordeal these days. Our power supply was resumed in the early hours of Saturday only to desert us after a little while. The power supply was finally restored in the evening.”
Mohammad Saeed, a resident of Sindhi Muslim Society, said his locality had faced the first power shutdown on Friday at around 8pm. “We quickly went to get some candles. Little did we know that the power shutdown would last almost the whole night and we would run out of our supply of candles.”
Latif Mughal, calling from PECHS, Block 6, told Dawn that he was a retired high-ranking government official and was annoyed at the fact that power shutdowns in the city were so frequent and prolonged. “The army has always dealt with the bureaucracy with contempt. It thinks that by replacing a civilian administration, it can run the KESC efficiently. It looks as if it has made the KESC a more inefficient organization. Like myself, a large number of consumers have made their grievances known, but the army administration has become too thick-skinned to be affected by such protests.”
Calling from Gulistan Jauhar, Block 16, a resident said he failed to understand why the KESC was so tight-lipped about the frequent power breakdowns in the city. “While the customers of the KESC writhe in agony, not a word from the power utility. No apologies. No explanations. Just prolonged power shutdowns.”
A caller from Korangi said that his locality had been without power the whole day. “The KESC had announced the shutdown schedule for the area, but Saturday turned out to be a very hot day. Just imagine how we spent the whole day without fans and other facilities.”
KARACHI, April 26: While the Karachi Electric Supply Corporation has brought all its energies to bear upon the recovery of dues, it seems to be oblivious of the fact that fluctuations in power supply caused by its erratic transmission and distribution system cost its customers dearly.
