MINGORA: The people of Kabal tehsil on Thursday threatened to take to the streets against the prolonged power outages in their areas.

Elders of Napkikhel area told reporters at the Swat Press Club that electric supply to their area and many adjoining villages had been suspended for many days.

They warned the local residents would agitate throughout Swat district if smooth electric supply wasn’t restored without delay. The elders criticised local lawmakers over indifference to their misery.

Elder Fazal Maboodan, who led the protesters, said upper parts of Kabal, including Shahdehri, Tootanobandai and adjoining areas, had been subjected to prolonged loadshedding.

He also complained about low voltage of electricity.

The elder said electricity supply to many villages in Kabal had been suspended for many days.

“I contacted local PTI MPA Dr Amjad but his response was poor. Also, local MNA Murad Saeed is not taking the issue seriously,” he said. The elder said repeated complaints about the excessive power outages to the local Wapda SDO had fallen on deaf ears.

He said the SDO misbehaved when the people contacted him on power cuts. Mabood said the local residents were peaceful but the prolonged power outages would force them into agitating against Wapda. He warned Wapda and the government would be responsible if any mishap happened.

BAHRAIN-KALAM ROAD INAUGURATED: Member of the Senate standing committee on communication Amar Jeet Malhutra and ANP MPA Syed Jafar Shah on Thursday inaugurated work on the Bahrain-Kalam Road in Bahrain.

Interestingly, the same job was done by adviser to the prime minister Engineer Ameer Muqam just a day ago.

During the Thursday inaugural function, the NHA officials, including general manager Abdul Samad and the project director, were also present. Speaking on the occasion, MPA Jafar Shah said the road’s construction would be completed in two months at a cost of Rs480 million.

He said the ANP government had approved Rs2.55 billion for the construction of 70 kilometres road from Jarray to Kalam. The MPA said the NHA and the federal government had to pay Rs1.33 billion for the project.

He said instead of inaugurating the road, Ameer Muqam should take up the issue of arrears on the province’s head of hydel net profit with the federal government led by his party to prove he was sincere to the interests of the province.

DENGUE CASES DETECTED: Two people tested positive for dengue in Swat on Thursday.

According to an official of the Saidu Sharif Group of Teaching Hospital, Swat, Jan Mohammad, 23, and Iftikhar Hussain, 33, have been found to be suffering for dengue.

He said both patients were residents of Amankot area in Mingora, which was at high risk for dengue outbreak. The official said the new cases had put the number of dengue patients detected in the district during the current season to 11.

Published in Dawn, July 11th, 2014