The first rain and snowfall of the winter season have disrupted the supply of power in the Hazara division.
However, an employee union of the power utility has blamed the extended disruption of electricity supply on hundreds of vacant posts.
The All Pakistan Water and Power Development Authority (Wapda) Hydro Electric Workers Union Chairman Jameel Tanoli on Monday said that there are some 1,235 positions vacant. As a result, he said that existing employees are overburdened with the workload as fewer linemen were available to ensure uninterrupted supply of power.
Tanoli lamented that the union has been highlighting the shortage of staff in the Hazara division for the past decade but nobody has addressed their concern.
“In the last couple of years, many of the older linemen have lost their lives due to the difficult working conditions during the winter season,” he shared, adding that only 30 per cent staff of the overall capacity is currently employed.
Mansehra and Abbottabad, he said to face a shortage of up to 1,500 staffers, he said, adding that the federal government has a chance to provide employment opportunities to locals which will be good for both the organisation and its customers.
Published in The Express Tribune, November 17th, 2020.
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