KARACHI, Sept 27: People continued to suffer intermittent and prolonged power failures as Karachi Electricity Supply Corporation failed to entertain localized complaints properly.

Although the KESC has been resorting to load-shedding of an hour on rotation basis across the city, people complained that they suffered more than five hours long power breakdowns.

The KESC officials claimed that the system had been working properly but due to shortfall in power generation, the power utility had to resort to load-shedding of one hour.

However, officials said some localized faults may have developed in some areas. They did not have an idea of how many number of localized faults had developed in the city.

Due to mismanagement in the KESC, the localized faults were not being addressed properly and people in many localities had been suffering intermittent or prolonged power breakdowns or massive power fluctuations.

A resident of Block-L in North Nazimabad said he had been suffering power fluctuation for two days. “I lodged a complaint at centralized complaint number 118 from where I got the complaint No ME 87. Several hours have elapsed, but KESC people have failed to fulfil their commitment that electricity would be restored after an hour.

“I succeeded in establishing a contact on 118 again on Tuesday and I was given another complaint No.AI-54 by another operator, who again promised that the van would reach my home in 90 minutes. However, the KESC van is still awaited.”

Shehla Fateh from Jamshed Road called at 9pm and said she had spoken to high officials in the KESC but again on Wednesday, they had Sehri in candlelight. The power supply continued to play a hide-and-seek and it was again suspended at 7pm.”

Iqbal from Defence View said power supply was suspended to his locality at 5am and was restored at 7:30am, again there was a breakdown between 2:30pm and 4:45pm and yet again another breakdown at 8:40pm.

“I was tired of dialling the 118 and the local complaint number 5388472, but they were found busy”, he said, adding on the one hand the federal minister had assured the people that there would be no load-shedding and on the other, the KESC had been resorting to unannounced load-shedding.

A resident of Block-12, Federal B Area, said intermittent power failures have made the lives of residents miserable during the month of holy Ramazan. Similarly, another resident of Block 13 said the power supply remained suspended for 16 consecutive hours and the KESC remained indifferent to their grievances.

Javed A Khan from Defence Phase-I on 8th East Street said the power supply was suspended at 5am and it was restored at 11am.

The KESC officials in the morning said it was load-shedding. The supply was again disrupted at 2pm and it was restored at 6:25pm. The power again went off during night and it was not restored. The KESC’s local complaint centre’s phone 5388742 remained busy.

Complaints of power failures are also being received from parts of Malir, including Indus Mehran, Kausar Town, Pak Kausar Town, Saudia Colony and other localities. Area people said that power cuts of long duration disturb their schedule of work as whenever there is a breakdown, they are not sure about the restoration of supply.

Area people said that they suffer owing to unannounced load-shedding as they often run shot of water in their overhead tanks owing to frequent suspension of electricity.

Similarly, they said that they pass sleepless nights, and face problems while preparing for Sehri. The area people have demanded uninterrupted supply to the locality.