DADU, Jan 8: Hundreds of villagers held a demonstration outside the local press club on Thursday to protest against Hesco for issuing inflated bills and disconnecting power supply to 20 villages.

Led by notables of the affected villages, the protesters also blocked the main road for two hours. Speaking to the protesters, Ali Akbar Panhwar said the residents of the affected villages- including Baradi Panhwar, Jhallo, Chakar Khan Lund and Khachar Panhwar- were regularly paying their bills and alleged that the Hesco officials were forcing them to pay Rs50,000 a village every month.

He said that on their refusal, the officials were issuing unjustified detection and inflated bills to the poor villagers. Zulfiqar Panhwar alleged that the officials were supplying power to residences of influential people as well as factories in different areas of the taluka against receipt of bribe. He said that the Hesco officials were issuing the inflated bills to cover line losses.