LARKANA, July 27: Water and Power Development Authority chairman Zulfikar Ali Khan has said the inquiry held into the incident of fire at the Kashmor grid station has revealed that it occurred due to the negligence of the Hesco officials.

Talking to journalists here on Saturday, the Wapda chief, who had come to upper Sindh in the wake of the recent grid station mishap, said in the light of the inquiry report, two superintendent engineers, one executive engineer, two assistant engineers and two foremen of the Hesco Sukkur circle, who were responsible for the maintenance of the grid station, were suspended.

He said an automatic fire fighting system would be installed at grid stations and the deputed staff would be given necessary equipment as recommended by the committee.

About the greater Thal canal project, Mr Khan said talks with stakeholders in Sindh and Punjab would soon be held to remove misunderstandings regarding the project.

He praised the government for initiating projects of Gomal dam, Mirani dam, Reni canal, Kachi canal and Thal canal.

Responding to a question, Mr Khan denied that Wapda had asked Nepra for revising the power tariff. However, he said Wapda had proposed the government for assigning the job of fixing the prices of furnace oil and gas to the Oil and Gas Regulatory Authority.

Replying to another question, he said consumers could get new connections by making payment in 10 instalments instead of six that had been fixed previously.