SWABI: Unknown thieves have taken away batteries of solar-powered streetlights in Topi city and Topi-Tarbela Road.

When contacted, officials in tehsil municipal administration told Dawn that the solar-powered streetlights were installed with the funds provided by former National Assembly speaker Asad Qaiser.

They said the solar system was installed in 2016 with each streetlight costing Rs140,000. However, they said for want of maintenance, the solar-powered streetlights had been out of order for some time, which provided an opportunity to the thieves to take the batteries away. When contacted, Mohammad Younas, former tehsil naib nazim, claimed that he had protested against the installation of substandard solar streetlights, but Mr Qaiser didn’t take the matter seriously. He said the solar-powered streetlights were of low standard.

Tehsil municipal officer Yasir Khan was repeatedly contacted but he didn’t attend the calls.

The police officials said the TMA had yet to get an FIR registered about theft of the solar systems’ batteries.

Similar reports were also received from Swabi city, Tordher, Manki and other areas.

Meanwhile, Javid Inqilabi, divisional president of Pakistan Peoples Party, demanded an inquiry into the substandard solar systems.

He told mediapersons that the solar-powered streetlights were installed across the district during the PTI government, but the system had come to a halt.

Answering a question, he said the people’s money was spent on the solar project, and it was the responsibility of the government to expose those who had committed irregularities and corruption in execution of the project.

Published in Dawn, May 10th, 2023