SWABI: The solar-powered streetlights installed by the government in the bazaars of district headquarters and Topi tehsil around one and a half years ago have gone out of order.

Sources in the respective tehsil municipal administrations told Dawn that installation of the street solar power system was aimed at preventing the district headquarters and Topi bazaars from plunging into darkness due to the frequent power outages.

They said the government also ran a campaign on social media about the project.

“Funds have not been provided to carry out maintenance of the street solar power system,” said a trader. He said the business community was working on a plan to repair the system on its own to make it functional.

The trader said the issue was brought to the notice of the ruling party’s stalwarts and elected representatives, but to no avail.

Ahmad Ali, a businessman, said the TMAs had been spending billions of rupees on various projects, but failed to ensure smooth functioning of the street solar power system.

The traders demanded that the ruling party leaders and elected representatives allocate funds for maintenance of the system.

An official of the district administration told Dawn that they had brought the issue of the out-of-order solar power system to the notice of the ruling party heavyweights, expecting that funds for its repair would be provided, but to no effect.

Published in Dawn, July 24th, 2021