Restoration of Dadu-Johi transmission line underway on PM’s instructions

Energy minister says important grid station in Dadu city was secured from flood water with the help of army

ISLAMABAD:

On the special instructions of Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, the restoration work on 132 kilovolt Dadu-Johi electricity transmission line is underway.

The restoration of the power transmission line would revive the supply of electricity to towns of Johi, Wahi Pandhi and surrounding areas hit by unprecedented floods.

The feeder of Gorakh hill station would also be made operational in coming days.

Despite the flood water of eight feet in the area, the staff of Sukkur Electric Supply Company (SEPCO) was continuing its work on boats.

The prime minister himself was monitoring the restoration work in the flood-affected areas. He was receiving a daily report about the progress in rehabilitation process.

Meanwhile, Minister for Energy Khurram Dastgir has said power transmission system, badly damaged by floods, has been fully restored in flood-affected areas across the country.

Speaking to the media in Gujranwala on Saturday, he said an important grid station of 500 KV in Dadu city was secured from flood water with the help of army by raising an embankment on emergency basis.

Earlier, the minister also visited Dadu grid station and a tent city for flood affected people which was established in the premises of grid station.

Also read: Flood death toll reaches 1,545 after 37 more perish

He assured flood victims that all basic amenities including food, medicines, drinking water will be provided in the tent city.

Record monsoon rains in Balochistan and Sindh and glacial melt in northern areas triggered the flooding that has affected nearly 33 million people in the country of 220 million, sweeping away homes, crops, bridges, roads and livestock and causing an estimated $30 billion of damage.

The losses will slash the country's GDP growth to around 3% from the estimated target of 5% set out in the budget when it had narrowly escaped defaulting on its debt in a balance of payment crisis.

Pakistan was already reeling from economic blows when the floods hit, with its foreign reserves falling as low as one month's worth of imports and its current account deficit widening.

The National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) has reported over 1,550 flood-related deaths so far, including 536 children and 308 women.

(With input from News Desk and Radio Pakistan)