HYDERABAD, May 21: Hesco continued to multiply woes of power consumers as police baton-charged protesters in Barrage colony to get a section of National Highway opened which had been blocked by them in protest against non-supply of electricity.

Hesco had disconnected all connections of officers and employees colonies of the irrigation department as well as offices of Kotri barrage and Sindh Irrigation and Drainage Authority (Sida) to ensure recovery of its outstanding dues of Rs16 million.

Power supply of these colonies and offices were disconnected by Hesco four days ago while the Sida authorities that deal with administrative matters of colonies and offices, including those of irrigation department, didn’t come forward to clear the dues.

People residing in Barrage colony came out and blocked a section of National Highway for over an hour causing traffic jam.The road is the gateway of Hyderabad to upper Sindh and up-country. The blockade led to a worst traffic jams because mostly heavy vehicles pass through the road.

The protesters told journalists that police had baton-charged them to get the road cleared. They said they were compelled to block the road because no body was inclined to redress their grievances.

“Since there is no electricity the non-availability of water is quite understandable”, said one of them.

The protesting employees also disclosed that the irrigation department deducts a certain amount from their salaries for electricity charges adjustment yet they were facing the brunt of power outage and that was only because of the irrigation department. They said that they had spoken to Sida official Mitha Khan who undertook to make provisional payment to get electricity restored. The employees said that Hesco itself was a defaulter of irrigation department.

They ended the protest following an assurance by irrigation officials regarding payment of dues.

However, power was not restored till filing of this report.

According to an irrigation official, Sida management is supposed to ensure payment of electricity dues to Hesco.

“We are ourselves in trouble because we are using generators while there is no water for ablution in irrigation colony’s Masjid”, said the official.

He said that since Hesco had announced disconnection of electricity the Sida authorities should have had made some payment. Sida managing director Hashim Leghari confirmed that Sida owes Rs16 million dues of Hesco.

He said that he had asked the director of left bank circle to make some payment so that power was restored and expressed the hope that electricity supply would be restored tonight.

He however said that Sida had asked Hesco to provide individual meters to residents so that they could themselves pay their bills because the current payment made by employees was insufficient to be given to Hesco amid budget constraints of Sida.

He said that around Rs2 or Rs4 million would be paid to Hesco right now.