PESHAWAR, April 21: A row between the City District government and Town-I Nazim over payment of power dues to the Peshawar Electric Supply Company had resulted in the disconnection of power supply to a number of tubewells, causing acute water shortage in certain localities of the city.

Pesco had disconnected power supply to 20 tubewells in the city after the failure of the Town-I’s administration to clear dues worth Rs74 million. An official said that the town administration had paid only Rs15 million to the company.

The disconnection of power supply and dispute between the two tiers of the district government has caused acute shortage of water in many parts of the city.

Pesco officials said that despite several notices, the Tehsil Municipal Administration had failed to clear dues, adding that the supply would also be stopped to other tubewells if the company’s bills were not cleared.

Nazim Town-I Haroon Bilour, told Dawn that following the local government commission’s decision, he had entrusted water supply and sanitation charge to the city district government from March 1.

“The town administration is no more responsible for sanitation and drinking water supply and has no resources to pay power charges of tubewells”, Mr Bilour said, who claimed that on the directives of the commission, the TMA had transferred affairs of water supply and sanitation to the city district administration.

However, district Nazim Azam Afridi disputed the statement of Mr Bilour, saying that the commission did not take decision in this regard.