HYDERABAD, Feb 16: The Hesco disconnected the power supply to provincial government departments all over Sindh except Karachi on Monday to pressure the government to pay Rs1.736 billion dues.

Hesco chief engineer Sharif Ansari confirmed that the power supply had been disconnected by the Hesco authorities on account of failure of the Sindh government to clear its dues.

Hesco commercial director Sheikh Amjad has gone to Karachi to meet the Sindh government officials in connection with payment of dues. The Sindh government had been duly informed in this context because it, according to the Hesco, had promised to immediately clear 70 per cent of the dues in a meeting last month.

Meanwhile, the Civil Hospital of Hyderabad suffered more than six hours long power breakdown on Sunday night despite directives by the Hesco chief executive of regular power supply to hospitals.

Water works of the Water and Sanitation Agency remained without power supply, badly affecting the water supply to the areas including the Civil Hospital.

The hospital management had to seek water tankers from the City Taluka municipal administration. The patients and attendants faced difficulties due to non- availability of water as they had to go to places in and outside the hospital to fetch water.

According to hospital medical superintendent Dr Shafqatullah Memon, the power supply went off at 1am and resumed at 7.20 in the morning. None of the official from the Hesco Hirabad sub-division bothered to determine the cause of breakdown.

It was only on Saturday when Hesco chief Tariq Arshad visited the hospital following reports of frequent power breakdown in the CHH. He directed the Hesco officials to ensure uninterrupted supply of electricity to the CHH.

Our Nawabshah Correspondent adds: The Hyderabad Electric Supply Company, Nawabshah circle, on Monday disconnected power supply to different government departments due to non-payment of bills amounting to Rs248.4 million.

The departments included health, education, irrigation, Taluka municipal administration, union councils, water supply, drainage and police. Hesco superintending engineer, Nawabshah circle, Ghulam Hussain Kolachi said the action was taken on the orders of Hesco authorities to recover the dues.

Mr Kolachi said the recovery drive would continue till the payment of amount. He said an amount of Rs80 million was due to the government departments of the Nawabshah district only.

GUTTED: Six houses were gutted when a fire broke outin Arab Khaskheli village near Khadar on Monday.