LARKANA, June 20: The Hyderabad Electric Supply Company, Larkana, on Friday disconnected power supply to 100 villages due to non-payment of dues.
The affected villages include Wada Phulpota, Wada Mohal, Izat-ji-Wandh, Rahooja, Pir Jan Mohammad, Bhonbhatpur, Jahan Khan Khakhrani, Budho Jeho, Paroo Bhutto, Moria Faqeer, Mitho Khuhro, Ganhwar Bhatti, Karani, Tatri and others located in Larkana, Dokri and Ratodero sub-divisions.
The executive engineer, Hesco, Habibur Rehman Shaikh, told this correspondent that the defaulters were reluctant to clear dues of years and that prompted the local Hesco authorities to disconnect power supply to their villages.
Divisional commercial manager, Hesco, Shamsuddin Shaikh, said that Rs478.92 million was outstanding against government offices and Rs1,814 million against private consumers.
It was learnt that power bills to the tune of Rs150 million were issued every month by Hesco, Larkana circle, but only 80 per cent of the amount was paid by the consumers.
On the other hand, the consumers complained about wrong meter readings by the Hesco employees. Despite punishments to some meter readers, the practice had not been abandoned, some consumers said.
Meanwhile, the Hesco officials, after receiving an assurance from the PTCL chairman that power dues would be paid, had restored the power connections of telephone exchanges in Larkana, Shikarpur and Jacobabad districts, Mr Shaikh said.
TWO WOMEN KILLED: Two women were killed, one on the pretext of Karo-kari and the other over a domestic dispute, in different parts of Larkana district on Friday.
Recently-married Husna Chandio, 18, was killed by her husband and his accomplices in the jurisdiction of the Waleed police on the charge of Karo-kari.
Sabit Chandio, the husband of the deceased, with Nizam, Liaquat and Asghar shot her dead and escaped.
The killers vacated their houses after committing the crime.
The deceased woman was recently sold into marriage for Rs80,000, sources said.
In the other incident, Juman Brohi with his friend, Ghulam Hussain Kalhoro, police constable of the Civil Line police, killed his wife, Shamshad, in Kausar Mills locality and escaped.
The murder was the outcome of domestic differences, the police said.
