SHEIKHUPURA: Opposition Leader in Punjab Assembly Mehmoodur Rasheed staged a sit-in in front of the Deg–Outfall Hydro Power Plant on the Upper Chenab Canal against the use of substandard material in the plant’s construction on Sunday.

The 4.6 megawatt plant is located on Lahore Road, some 14km from here. The plant was set up with the collaboration of Chinese engineers.

On its inauguration ceremony on Saturday, the experts opened the canal water to make the plant functional. But as soon as the water entered the canal with a force, the bridge collapsed and water entered the main building which caused cracks in the newly-constructed building and damaged the machinery installed in it. The loss caused by the mishap has not been estimated yet. However, it is stated to be in billions. The management kept the details secret.

PTI leader Mehmoodur Rasheed reached the spot with local leader Waqas Afzal Khokhar and number of party workers and they staged a sit-in.

Talking to the media, the PTI leader said that government was involved in malpractices and corruption in all fields.

He demanded an impartial inquiry into the mishap at the plant.

Published in Dawn, February 20th , 2017