VEHARI, July 12: Residents of Chak 15-WB and adjoining areas have protested against the Multan Electric Power Company (Mepco) after facing a four-day power suspension. The locals said two transformers were burnt four days ago due to overloading. They said they asked the sub-divisional officer (SDO) to replace these transformers, but he refused to do so without payment for these same.

They said the transformers were burnt second time due to overloading. They said earlier the locals had got the transformers repaired on a self-help basis. Now the Mepco had collected Rs48,000 from them to repair these transformers.

Executive engineer (XEN) Attaullah Bhutta said the transformers were being repaired at a workshop and added that electricity would be restored during the next 24 hours.

SDO Rana Saleem said Mepco had no extra transformers to replace the broken transformers. He denied the Mepco had collected money from people for the transformers’ repair. He said the area needed two 100kv transformers instead of the 50kv transformers currently working there.

GASTRO: A man has died and dozens hospitalised due to gastroenteritis in Vehari city and adjoining areas.

Sixty-year-old Muhammad Shafi of Sharqi Colony died of gastroenteritis before he reached the hospital, while dozens were hospitalised on Wednesday.

According to District Headquarters (DHQ) Hospital officials, 80 percent patients in the medical ward were suffering from gastroenteritis and other waterborne diseases. The ward was overcrowded and some patients were being treated on the flour. Patients said they were purchasing all medicines from the market instead of getting them free from the hospital.

Medical Superintendent Dr Nasir Dilshad said the hospital was giving the deserving patients available medicines. However, he admitted the hospital was short of some medicines, which the patients had to buy from the market. — Correspondent