No respite: Six days on, Karak still in darkness

Pylons uprooted by rainstorm last Saturday yet to be restored.

PESHAWAR: Power supply to Karak district has remained suspended for the past six days after 120 power pylons were destroyed in a rainstorm last Saturday.

Nearly 70% of the district plunged into darkness with electricity supply to Ahmadwala, Takht-i-Nasrati, Siraj Baba, Indus Highway, Warana, Latambar, Gudikhel, Chokara, Bogara and Khojaki Kalay feeders cut off.

“Work on power restoration is underway,” insisted Peshawar Electric Supply Company (Pesco) spokesperson Shaukat Afzal, assuring the matter would be resolved soon. He, however, did not specify a date on which supply would be restored.

Locals, on the other hand, say Pesco is not doing enough to provide relief to the people.

“Majority of the pylons uprooted in the rainstorm were located in areas easily accessible by Pesco, but it is yet to take any action,” complained a disgruntled consumer, Lal Sadiq.

“This is their excuse to save power. They (Pesco) are doing this at the cost of people suffering in this hot weather,” alleged another aggrieved local, Arif Khan.

Water levels in tube wells, which are the only source of providing water across the district, is also very low as the wells require electricity to operate. Locals said the scarcity has worsened their problems.

“Prices of water tankers have increased from Rs1,000 to Rs1,800 in the wake of power disruption,” said a peeved Abdul Nasir.

Protest planned

To discuss the matter, residents convened a public meeting at Ahmadabad where they planned on blocking the main Indus Highway for all kinds of traffic to protest against what they term ‘the inefficiency of Pesco’. Participants of the meeting warned they would be compelled to take to the streets if prompt action is not taken to restore power.

Former nazim of Ahmadabad union council Muhammad Riaz told The Express Tribune they will collect Rs300 from each house and arrange for labourers to dig ditches and re-install the power pylons.

Meanwhile, Pesco’s spokesperson said they will also cut power supply of 132 KV to the Peshawar City Grid Station for 15 hours to install a new panel at Nishtarabad, Gulbahar, Zaryab and Pandu Road feeders.

The new panel will help reduce power breakdowns apart from easing scheduled load-shedding, he added. Power will be suspended from 6am to 9pm as a result.

Published in The Express Tribune, July 5^th, 2013.