VEHARI, May 8: The residents of Chak 31-WB and adjoining areas protested against the city sub-division Mepco for their failure to restore electricity for the last one week.

A group of villagers told this correspondent here on Tuesday in front of the Mepco office that they have visited the office several times but the SDO did not take any step to restore electricity.

They said the transformer burnt about a week ago due to over loading. They contacted the Mepco office but the SDO refused to install new transformer without bribe.

They said the transformer burnt twice during the last three month due to overloading and they repaired it on self-help basis.

They demanded the high ups to install a heavy transformer in the locality.

When contacted, XEN Ataullah Bhutta said the transformer was being repaired and electricity would be restored on temporary basis during next 24 hour.

On-duty line superintendent Shamas said the transformer was being repaired on self-help basis this time too.

The SDO was not available for comments.

WATER COURSES: More than 85 per cent work on brick lining of watercourses under the National Program for Improvement of Water Courses in the Punjab has been completed in the district.

DO (revenue) Jawed Akhtar Mahmood said on Monday that the construction of 300 watercourses in the district would be completed by the end of June.

He said the work on 285 watercourses was completed in April at a cost of Rs199 million.

He said the loss of water would be minimised after completion of the project and farmers even at the tail ends would get ample water for their fields, he added.