VEHARI, July 16: The power supply to Vehari and its adjoining areas could not be fully restored on Friday despite the claim made by Wapda officials in a press release on Thursday.

Most of the Vehari tehsil people, including women and children, affected by 14 feeders, spent sleepless night on roads and streets in close proximity to their houses. As per reports, over 50 people, including women and children, fainted in different parts of the Vehari tehsil. They were admitted to the local DHQ Hospital. Their condition turned from bad to worse at the hospital in the absence of generator.

Almost all the city localities were in complete darkness when this correspondent visited various localities of the town on Thursday night. However, the power supply was restored to Officers Colony, residences of Mepco officials, various local council representatives, including tehsil nazim, MNAs and MPAs of the ruling party and DCO, DPO and judges.

The electricity was restored to some localities of the town, including Peoples Colony, only for 15 to 20 minutes after an interval of four to six hours. On Friday, the duration had been increased to maximum one hour.

Most of areas of the town were without water till the filing of this report on Friday evening. The TMA fire brigade staff have failed to fulfil the need of the drinking water of the people in the affected localities.

The citizens have denounced the overt discrimination policy adopted by the Wapda officials and demanded the restoration of the power supply to all the affected areas. Several engineers and workers were found busy in installing new panels of control room at the grid station on Friday.

Sahiwal GSO circle superintendent engineer Muhammad Rafiq informed Dawn that total 19 panels were burnt, including 14 out-going panels, four incoming and one buscupler panel.

He said that 17 panels had reached Vehari from Multan, Hasilpur and McLeod Gang while two were not available. He claimed that all the 17 new panels would be installed late Friday night. However, he made a clean breast that some 10 to 15 days would be required to complete the work on the grid station.

All the same, he claimed that the power supply would be restored by Saturday (today). He said over 65 engineers and workers from Multan, Sahiwal and Bahawalpur were working round the clock to get restored the electricity. Mepco circle chief engineer Salahuddin is supervising the work.

He said the 132 KV new transformer would reach Vehari within next three days. Meanwhile, Mepco chief executive Brig Abbas Ali Khan (retired) visited the Vehari grid station and inspected the ongoing work here on Friday. Mepco chief engineer Salahuddin briefed the chief executive about the replacement of the damaged 11 KV panels.

The Mepco chief executive issued directions to provide electricity to the DHQ Hospital and supply of water to the people in Vehari and adjoining ares on priority basis.

Meanwhile, the patients and paramedical staff complained about the low power voltage and frequent suspension of electricity in the DHQ Hospital. According to a press release issued by Wapda, the power supply to Vehari town and its adjoining areas had been normalized at 6pm on Friday.

It further claimed that the partial supply of electricity to the affected areas had been restored on Thursday. Our correspondent, however, claimed that the power supply could not be normalized in Vehari and surrounding areas till the filing of this report at 9pm on Friday.