SWABI: Various congested areas in the district have been without electricity for the last six days because their power transformers have gone out of order.

The power consumers told this scribe that there was no hope that the transformers would be repaired soon by Peshawar Electric Supply Company (Pesco). They said that they had repeatedly appealed to the local government representatives and leaders of various political parties to help them in repairing or replacing the faulty electricity transformers.

The residents of the areas said that they did not know how to tackle the issue. They said that the situation had forced a number of families to move to the houses of their relatives where electricity was available.

Scorching heat forces people to move to relatives’ houses in other localities

They alleged that some Pesco officials asked them to collect donations to repair the transformers, otherwise it would take a long time to send the transformer to Nowshera reclamation centre for respiring.

The consumers said that suspension of power supply to their areas resulted in water shortage that added to their miseries. They said that it was responsibility of government to ensure smooth power supply to their areas.

Three areas in Topi tehsil -- Bara Khel, Khararay and Khadar Khankhel -- have been without electricity as the transformers have developed fault. “We have been forced to do our Sehri in dark. It is really difficult but there is no option,” said Fazal Hadi of Bara Khel.

Local sources said that power transformers in Yar Hussain, Chota Lahor, Adina, Ismalia, Salim Khan, Shewa, Charbagh, Gohati and various other far-flung areas were also out of order.

They said that in some areas, the scorching heat forced people to collect donations for repairing of their transformers because they could not wait for lengthy process of official repair of the transformers.

Shah Wali, a local leader of PTI, said that it was routine that transfers developed fault in the summer. “According to information collected from different areas, most of the people will be without power on Eid days owing to faulty transformers,” he said.

RESULTS: The students and their parents have strong resented delay in announcement of results for the examinations of 9th and 10th grade students by Board of Intermediate and Secondary Education, Mardan They said that instead of announcing the date of results, the controller of examinations of the board said that date of results would be announced after Eidul Fitr.

They said that a total 135,000 students appeared in 9th and 10th grade examinations conducted by the board.

The parents of the students said that it was for the first time that the results would be delayed for about 20 days. The earlier practice was that it was announced till June 15, they said. They added that the board officials were responsible for the delay, which created anxiety among the students.

Published in Dawn, June 25th, 2017