July 28, 2008	Monday	Rajab 24, 1429

BADIN, July 27: People suffered a 16-hour long power breakdown on Sunday, just a day before the arrival here of the National Assembly speaker to inaugurate a new grid station.

The breakdown, worst in years, led to suspension of water supply, forcing people to go without water.

No responsible Hesco official was available for comments and a low ranking official said that the breakdown was caused by the switching on of the new grid station to make it ready for inauguration. It would take more time to overcome the crisis, he said.

Power went off at 4 am and could not be restored till 7.45 pm.

People held Hesco officials responsible for the power failure and feared the new grid station might not live up to expectations while the speaker was scheduled to arrive in the city on Monday.

In Mirpurkhas, consumers complained on Sunday that Hesco had extended duration of loadshedding to 10 hours, causing sleepless nights to people on the whole and adversely affecting trade and industrial activities in the city.

The duration of loadshedding was less in posh areas of the city due to pressure of influential people. Many units of small industries remain closed, incurring huge losses.

The administration of the Civil Hospital has to incur additional charges for fuel for operating power generators while most of the people avoid using generators after recent rise in fuel prices.