May 20, 2008	Tuesday	Jamadi-ul-Awwal 14, 1429

LARKANA, May 19: People foiled Hesco employees’ bid to transfer a transformer from a grid station in Qambar on Monday at the time when consumers across Sindh endure power outages during rising temperatures of summer season.

A large number of people led by nazims Union Council-1 and 3, Liaquat Gopang and Muhammed Ali Bhutto, respectively reached the grid station on Monday upon learning the news that a transformer was about to be shifted from Qambar by Hesco employees.

The people in rage threw stones on Hesco officials and their vehicle, stopped them from transferring transformer, kept them at bay and eventually forced their speedy exit. Hesco men wanted to install this at Dokri grid station where a transformer of 10/13 MW developed a fault due to overload severely affecting Dokri city, Colony and Bakrani feeders.

These feeders supply power to airport and to Mohenjodaro’s archaeological site, Cadet College, Rice Research Institute Dokri and numerous villages.

Hesco did restore supply from an alternate source but low voltage and constant fluctuation were other risks to electric gadgets. Reports from the Cadet College and Mohenjodaro site said the supply was very poor.

Meanwhile in Larkana city the hide and seek of power increased on Monday. Hesco have the same reply to every inquiry “supply from the ‘main is disrupted” while consumers regularly receive bills amid complaints of inaccurate meter readings and inflated units charged.

Jacobabad mostly remained without electricity on Monday despite the fact that it is one of the hottest zones of South Asia.

Children and elderly persons are the main hits of power outage. Heat wave coupled with power outage and non-availability of potable water had increased manifold the miseries of people.

Hesco officials on contact termed it a normal situation as the entire country is in the grip of load-shedding due to energy crisis.

Temperature in Jacobabad was recorded at 49 degree Celsius.

People in Mirpurkhas face similar hardships due to unannounced and prolonged load-shedding. The city and other areas of the district bear 10 to 12 hours of electricity outage daily.

Disruption in power supply and rotation programme of the Irrigation Department have adversely disturbed water supply to city from reservoirs.

People remain without water and power while business activities also remained dull.

Administration of the Civil Hospital Mirpurkhas was facing power cuts and unable to run generators for many hours continuously due paucity of funds, while patients admitted also remain without power.

Small industries, including flour mills, oil spellers and ice factories suspend their operations on account of energy failures. People pass sleepless nights with no respite even during the daytime.

Consumers have demanded of the Chairman Wapda and Chief Executive Hesco to ensure end of unscheduled load-shedding.

Similar reports were received form Sukkur and other parts of Sindh.