SWAT: Residents of different areas here have complained about unscheduled power outages and threatened to launch a protest if smooth power supply is not ensured to them.

The people of Kabal, Barikot, Matta, and Khwazakhela said that unannounced and prolonged power loadshedding had been troubling them for the past few weeks.

“For the last several weeks, we have been experiencing about 10 hours loadshedding daily due to which we are having manifold issues. Our area is very hot and it is difficult to spend time without fans or air-conditioner,” said Akbar Ali, a resident of Kabal.

The residents of Kabal said they were spending sleepless nights owing to the power outages.

The people of the affected areas demanded of the authorities to end the prolonged power outages immediately otherwise they would take to streets in protest.

However, a Pesco official said there was no loadshedding in Swat, but faults occurred in some of the electricity cables and officials were working to rectify it.

SERVICE STRUCTURE: Lady Healthy Workers Association, Swat chapter, here on Friday warned the provincial government that they would boycott conducting the Covid vaccination if it failed to announce service structure for them before Eidul Azha.

Swat Lady Health Workers Association president Naheed Bibi told mediapersons that LHWs were providing health services to women in the far-flung hilly areas and participating in emergency campaigns.

“We take active part in anti-polio drive regularly and always remain in the front when there is an emergency. Our lady health workers work day and night providing health services during the ongoing Covid pandemic,” she said.

She said despite their hard work they had been working without a proper service structure. She said LHWs would boycott the Covid vaccination campaign starting on August 6 if their demand was not accepted.

When contacted, Dr Fazal Arif, district coordinator of the National Programme for LHWs in Swat, said a summary for proper service structure for LHWs had been moved through proper channel and soon their service structure would be issued by the government.

Published in Dawn, July 10th, 2021