June 12, 2008	Thursday	Jamadi-us-Sani 07, 1429

KARACHI, June 11: The Karachi Electricity Supply Company failed to ensure uninterrupted power supply in most parts of the city on Wednesday despite the damages the utility had suffered a day earlier when riots broke out in various areas and apparently ignoring a directive issued by the chief minister in this regard.

The utility, which faced a shortfall of about 600 megawatts, failed to meet the rising power demand in sultry weather and resorted to massive load-shedding.

Complaints about prolonged power outages, especially after midnight, were received from different areas of the city. The angry consumers told Dawn that they were being subjected to prolonged outages, while the KESC officials were not responding to their frantic calls.

Residents of Block 4-A in Gulshan-i-Iqbal and its neighbouring areas complained that they were without electricity since 6am.

Power supply was briefly restored at 4.10pm but it again went off after 20 minutes. Since then it had been playing hide and seek, they said.

An old lady from Defence said she was a heart patient and could not properly breathe in suffocation in the absence of electricity.

Residents of Sector 14-B in Shadman Town complained that they had been without electricity since 5.30am. In the absence of electricity, they said, they could not run water pumps that resulted in water scarcity.

Calling from Block 14 in the FB Area, angry consumers told Dawn that the utility not only carried out prolonged load-shedding but also resorted to low voltage whenever the power was restored.

Complaints that power supply was twice discontinued for three hours after midnight were received from Gulistan-i-Jauhar, Lyari, Malir, Khokrapar, Landhi, Orangi and different blocks in Federal B Area.

Secretary General of the Peoples Workers Union of the KESC Lateef Mughal, meanwhile, demanded of the government to take over the utility’s management to improve the situation.