SWABI, Feb 15: In addition to resorting to excessive loadshedding, officials of the Peshawar Electricity Supply Company (Pesco) are forcing consumers to pay for repairing damaged transformers.Sources said consumers of areas where transformers were not functioning were being asked to contribute money for the repair and told that otherwise the power supply would remain suspended for weeks.

They said the Lalu Dheri and Nari Kanda localities in Bamkhel union council had been without power for four days as two 50kV transformers had ceased functioning during the recent rains and there was no arrangement to replace them.

People in Yar Hussian, Kernel Sher Kili and Gadoon areas are facing a similar situation.

The consumers alleged that Pesco officials had told them to either wait or contribute funds to immediately repair the transformers.

“Collecting funds from the consumers is the only solution because it takes months to repair a transformer at the Nowshera reclamation workshop because of the workload,” an official said.