Electricity bills burnt in protest
SUKKUR:
Residents of Gharibabad in Sukkur took to the streets on Thursday as they protested prolonged power outages.
Several men and women organised a rally and marched through markets, holding placards and shouting slogans against the Hyderabad Electric Supply Company (Hesco). Protesters also burnt tyres and set fire to electricity bills.
They complained that they are still charged for extra units even when they hardly receive any power supply. They announced that they will not pay bills for this month in protest.
Power outages last more than 10 hours in Sukkur and interior Sindh even though Pakistan Electric Power Company promised that there will be no more unannounced power cuts.
These promises proved false as residents of Shikarpur, Kandhkot, Jacobabad, Larkana, Sukkur, Ghotki and Khairpur continue to live in darkness.
The electricity shortfall in Sukkur and adjacent areas is almost 180 megawatts. According to Hesco officials, power outages are scheduled to last three hours in the cities and six hours in the villages. They explained that electricity feeders are tripping due to overload but they are hopeful that all feeders will be fixed within the next 15 days and power supply is expected to improve after that.
Published in the Express Tribune, June 18th, 2010.
Residents of Gharibabad in Sukkur took to the streets on Thursday as they protested prolonged power outages.
Several men and women organised a rally and marched through markets, holding placards and shouting slogans against the Hyderabad Electric Supply Company (Hesco). Protesters also burnt tyres and set fire to electricity bills.
They complained that they are still charged for extra units even when they hardly receive any power supply. They announced that they will not pay bills for this month in protest.
Power outages last more than 10 hours in Sukkur and interior Sindh even though Pakistan Electric Power Company promised that there will be no more unannounced power cuts.
These promises proved false as residents of Shikarpur, Kandhkot, Jacobabad, Larkana, Sukkur, Ghotki and Khairpur continue to live in darkness.
The electricity shortfall in Sukkur and adjacent areas is almost 180 megawatts. According to Hesco officials, power outages are scheduled to last three hours in the cities and six hours in the villages. They explained that electricity feeders are tripping due to overload but they are hopeful that all feeders will be fixed within the next 15 days and power supply is expected to improve after that.
Published in the Express Tribune, June 18th, 2010.