MULTAN: The lives of over 1,600 students of Government Hanif Ghauri Shaheed Higher Secondary School in Dajal district of Rajanpur are under threat as the administration of Multan Electric and Power Company (Mepco) is reluctant to shift an 11KV transformer from the school premises.

The Mepco authorities are demanding the school administration pay the shifting charges, while the school is of the view that it has no funds for the purpose.

The school’s focal person, Muhammad Abubakar Mujahid, told Dawn that high-voltage wires are passing through their premises and the transformer was installed within the school to supply electricity to the town in 1981, posing a constant threat to the students and staff. He claimed to have submitted three online complaints to the Prime Minister’s Public Affairs and Grievances Wing after Mepco authorities did not pay any heed to the issue.

Authorities demand shifting charges; school claims to be short of funds

“The lives of students and teachers are under constant threat due to the unresponsive attitude of the Mepco authorities despite reaching out to them several times. A fire even erupted in the grassy plot of the school where students used to attend classes due to the non-availability of constructed space,” he added.

He further said that although the school administration had banned students from going near the transformer and under the wires, it was not possible for them to keep an eye on each student. When the school administration requested the Mepco authorities in 2016 to shift the transformer for the first time, it was asked by the department concerned to deposit Rs314,370 and sent a demand notice.

The school administration informed the Mepco authorities that they did not have enough finances, so Mepco refused to remove the wires and transformer. He said he submitted a complaint to the prime minister’s office informing them of the sensitivity of the matter.

“A Mepco team visited the school after the first complaint and sent another demand notice of Rs207,270 to the school,” he claimed.

Mr Mujahid said he submitted two more complaints after that upon which he was informed that the issue had been resolved. “Due to the online system, we are finding it hard to convey to the prime minister’s cell that our issue is yet to be resolved,” he added.

He demanded Prime Minister Imran Khan, Chief Minister Usman Buzdar and other relevant authorities intervene urgently, as lives of students and staff were under threat. Mepco authorities would be responsible if any untoward incident took place, he added.

Rajanpur Executive Engineer Tariq Aziz Memon said that the issue was brought to the notice of the higher authorities and a demand notice was issued to the school. The issue was a priority for the department and he would write to it that the school did not have the budget to pay the amount demanded.

Published in Dawn, January 29th, 2019