KOHAT: The Peshawar Electric Supply Company (Pesco) on Thursday disconnected power supply to eight villages of Kohat and Hangu for non-payment of total Rs19.5 million outstanding dues.

The Pesco staff also raided the Hangu and Thall bazaars and snapped power supply to alleged electricity stealers and arrested 16 of them whose cases had been referred to Thall police station for action.

The sub-divisional officer, Pesco, Lachi, Samiullah cut the connections from transformers of Dar Tappi village for the recovery of Rs3.5 million. The power supply of seven villages, including Zargari, Shna Warai, Sra Chappri, Chappri Naryab, Adam Patay, Ghlo Cheena and Shamshaddin Kalay in Hangu, was also disconnected.

The Pesco staff made it clear in meetings with the consumers that electricity supply would not be restored till payment of the outstanding dues. The consumers were asked to pay at least 40 per cent of the whole amount and the remaining in installments if they wanted the power supply restored.

The elders of these villages had asked the Pesco staff a few days ago that they would summon a jirga to facilitate recovery of Rs16 million outstanding dues. However, they could not collect the money which prompted the Pesco staff, led by sub-divisional officer Javed, to disconnect electricity to the areas from the 11,000KV main line.

Meanwhile, people of Lachi Payan had demanded removal of the kunda system, especially in Khushalabad, where the pump installed on the main water tank had been provided direct connection.

They asked the chief municipal officer of the tehsil municipal administration to pay the outstanding charges to the Pesco pending since last several years so that a legal connection could be provided for the water pump. The consumers demanded that the Pesco should cut illegal connections and eliminate the kunda system once and for all so that they could get uninterrupted water supply. They said that they had been regularly paying water bills to the TMA.

Published in Dawn, May 16th, 2014