Steps awaited for restoration of Reshun power plant

Leaders of local movement had given 45 days to Chitral DC to fix problem

CHITRAL: Representatives of Tehreek-e-Bahali-e-Bijlighar Reshun have once again raised the issues of Reshun power plant as the time they gave the deputy commissioner of the district to restore the power plant has lapsed.

Speaking to the media on Friday at Chitral Press Club, leaders of the movement for restoration of the power plant said Chitral DC Osama Warraich had promised the power station would be fixed and electricity would be restored to locals. However, Warraich did not value his promise. They said the locals had now lost hope of obtaining power supply at their houses.

The leaders of Tehreek-e-Bahali-e-Bijlighar Reshun include Syed Sardar Hussain Shah, Noor Alam Khan and Muhammad Nabi. A meeting was also held on Thursday evening in this regard. It was attended by nazims and members of the district council of Upper Chitral. On the occasion, a unanimous decision was made that a delegation would be sent for meetings with the authorities concerned.

It was said that in case the relevant authorities do not heed the issue, the representatives of the movement will announce a protest. While talking to The Express Tribune, they also criticised Pakistan Peoples Party Chitral MPA Sardar Hussain for not taking interest in solving the problem of locals.

The agitated representatives said the MPA had promised the allocation of a considerable amount for restoration of Reshun power plant, but when the budget was announced, hardly anything was set aside for the power plant.

They said the MPA had also announced Rs3.5 million for the construction of a road in the district, but that proved to be a “hollow promise”.

Published in The Express Tribune, July 23^rd, 2016.