HYDERABAD: Wapda announces plan to curb power theft
By Bureau Report
HYDERABAD, April 22: As parts of its efforts to curb power theft in rural areas of Sindh, Wapda has been decided to allow the cost of service and meter connections to be recovered in 10 equal instalments.
In a communication addressed to the Hesco chief executive, the Wapda general manager (operation) said surveys should be carried out in every village on feeder basis to check illegal connections. Moreover, demand notices should be issued to house owners for recovery of meter security at prescribed rate and first instalment of capital cost of Rs300 should be recovered and account number allotted, it said.
The letter further said on payment of the meter security as well as the first instalment, agreement forms should be filled and registered. On completion of the process, service connection order should be issued and proper meter, cable and other material should be provided and connection installed, the letter concluded.
DEMO: Several Sindh University students held a demonstration outside the local press club on Thursday to protest against the arrest of a student of Khipro by area SHO Yar Mohammad Rind and ASI Ali Nawaz Hingoro.
They also burnt an effigy of the SHO. It may be recalled here that according to family members of a young boy, Benji Singh, student of class VIII, he was arrested and charged in a false narcotics case. The protesters, including relatives of the boy, appealed to the IGP Sindh to order an inquiry against the SHO and other police officers.
PROTEST: Shopkeepers and residents of the Haider Chowk here on Thursday morning pulled down shutters and staged a sit-in on the road, suspending vehicular traffic, to protest against frequent power breakdowns in the area.
The protesters also burnt tyres and raised slogans against the Hyderabad Electric Supply Company. They told journalists that power breakdowns of six to 12 hours had become the order of the day and added that the situation was affecting the business of the shopkeepers and making lives of the residents miserable as the water supply had also been affected. They threatened to increase the extent of their protest if the breakdowns were not ended.
CABLE OPERATORS' STRIKE: Cable operators of Hyderabad city, Latifabad and Qasimabad talukas have resorted to indefinite strike to protest against extortionists. Except for Pakistani channels, no other channels were provided on Wednesday and Thursday.
