FAISALABAD, April 19: The Water and Sanitation Agency (Wasa) and Faisalabad Electricity Supply Company (Fesco) are up in arms over unscheduled load shedding which is hampering the performance of the former.

Gastroenteritis had broken out last year that claimed the lives of 12 people, mostly children, in D-Block of Ghulam Muhammadabad by right of unscheduled power outages.

Scores of others had to put their stay in General Hospital for several days after consuming polluted tap water supplied by Wasa. Water supply had remained suspended for three days and its restoration brought troubles for residents of Ghulam Muhammadabad.

Wasa officers were of the view that it was the power outage that suspended the water supply for three days causing generation of bacteria in water tanks.

Keeping in view the last year’s situation and fearing the public wrath over the sanitation system, sources said that Wasa has expressed its serious concern over the unscheduled load shedding.

They said the Wasa authority had asked the Fesco through a letter that the district’s topography prompted the agency to dispose of the wastewater by pumping through a network of disposal works scattered all over the city.

It is an essential sanitary service and has to be kept operative on a continuous basis. Over the past few weeks, the operation of sewerage and water supply pumping stations was badly affected on account of long shutdowns, usually spanning some eight hours in daytime.

The Wasa has a double power feeder at Satiana Road disposal works to ensure continuous power supply, even if the Fesco carries out power shutdown.

Sources said despite arrangements, the Wasa landed in an outlandish situation as the Fesco suspended supply from its both feeders simultaneously.

They said the Wasa authority, for fear of the public protest, had refrained the Fesco not to suspended electricity from both feeders on March 28.

However, they said the Fesco authority had turned down the request and the power suspension made Wasa unable to maintain the sanitation system of Fatehabad and Jillanipura. Overflow of sewerage water from manholes boiled tempers of residents who staged a protest demonstration against the Wasa. The administration had to call police to bring the situation under control.

Keeping in view the past experience, they said the Wasa had requested the Fesco to intimate it about the load shedding schedule two days in advance at least.

Requesting anonymity, a Fesco officer said it was not possible for the authority to meet the demand of Wasa.

He, however, said that efforts would be made to control the simultaneously power suspension of Satiana Road feeders.