LARKANA: A shutterdown was observed in Naudero on Monday against suspension of power supply for 18-20 hours a day for many weeks on account of loadshedding, breakdowns and other reasons and unscheduled closure of gas supply.

A call for the shutterdown was given by various political and social and trade organisations.

All markets, bazaars, commercial streets and shops remained closed across the town in response to the call.

A large number of people also took part in a rally jointly organised by several organisations.

Ghulam Haidar Narejo, Aijaz Leghari, Maulana Abdul Quddoos Panhwar and others led the protesters, who were carrying banners and placards inscribed with slogans against the Sukkur Electric Supply Company (Sepco) and the Sui Southern Gas Company (SSGC).

Speaking to them, the leaders warned the two utilities to stop punishing residents of Naudero by depriving them of the most essential supplies without any valid reasons.

They noted that Sepco had announced a loadshedding of six hours a day but it had practically been keeping the supply closed for 18 to 20 hours in different areas every day on various pretexts for long.

They said that repeated complaints of outages, breakdowns, disruption, low/high voltage during the timings other than the loadshedding hours were not being attended by Sepco personnel.

The outages during most of the day and night had multiplied miseries of people whose daily routine and livelihood was badly affected. Besides, the absence of electricity created other issues like water shortage and disruption in the provision of proper medical treatment at healthcare facilities.

They said the gas cuts added to the miseries of Naudero population. No elected representative bothered to pay heed to power and gas consumers’ desperate calls for their help in sorting out the pressing issues, they added.

While marching through various roads and streets, charged youths among the protesters placed burning tyres at different traffic intersections and roundabouts in the city disrupting flow of vehicular traffic.

Later, they pitched several tents near the Naudero Sugar Mills to hold a sit-in blocking the thoroughfare for a few hours.

Police stood alert on the sidelines of the march route but did not intervene.

SUKKUR: Residents of Shah Khalid Colony led by UC chairman Mir Abdul Rehman Mengal and local Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz leader Allahdad Bozdar held a demonstration and sit-in at a section of Airport Road on Monday against Sepco’s refusal of replace the pole-mounted transformer (PMT) of their area.

They raised slogans against Sepco’s society division for not replacing the PMT, which had burnt out more than three months ago.

They said that the entire area had been without power for the long period of time and alleged that the Sepco officers concerned were demanding a heavy amount for consumers to replace the PMT.

They urged the Sepco chief to look into the matter.

In Rohri town, residents of Gargej Mohallah led by Zulfiqar Ali, Altaf Hussain, Zafar Ali and others also held a sit-in outside Sepco’s Rohri subdivision office against suspension of power supply to their area for a week. They said the PMT of their area had burnt out a week ago but Sepco officials were not replacing it. They also alleged that Sepco officials were demanding money for the job.

Published in Dawn, July 26th, 2016