NAUSHAHRO FEROZE, Nov 3: A large number of villagers took out a rally here on Monday against the Hyderabad Electric Supply Company for suspending power supply to their villages for the last 15 days.

Hundreds of inhabitants of Hanif Rajput, Shahnawaz Mubejo, Mohammad Siddiq Rajpar and Gulab Khaskheli villages, took out the rally.

They complained that the transformer through which power was being supplied to the villages went out of order about 15 days ago and added that despite several complaints to the Hesco officials, power to the villages was not restored.

They appealed to the Hesco officials to realize the hardships being faced by them and demanded immediate repair of the transformer and restoration of power.

FUNDS LAPSE: Sixty million rupees of the Khushhal Pakistan Programme (Phase-IV) have lapsed once again at the close of the last fiscal year as a result of which several development schemes have been suspended.

It was learnt that tenders were invited in the second week of June, therefore, funds could not be utilized.

The executive engineer (Public Health), Mohammad Umer Siyal, when contacted, complained that the district coordination officer, Naushahro Feroze, did not involve him in the KPP schemes and, at a later stage, some works were given to the public health department when it was already too late.

He said tenders were invited by the executive district officer (Works).

The DCO said the district council and the district Nazim did not send the schemes in time, adding that he was only to release the funds after approving the schemes.

The district Nazim was not available for comment.

When this correspondent contacted the EDO (Finance), Mir Shafqat Hussain Talpur, he confirmed that Rs60 million had lapsed, therefore, funds were not available to carry out work on the ongoing schemes.