Load-shedding special: Prolong outages irk residents

RAWALPINDI:

Citizens of the garrison city had a thirst-inducing start to Ramazan as high humidity combined with an increase in power outages on Monday.

Power suspensions, particularly during sehri hours, created difficulties for many.

The outages irked residents who were expecting reduced load-shedding during Ramazan, especially during sehri and iftari hours.

“The government should power generation during Ramazan or suspend power only in areas where consumers are not paying their bills,” suggested Abdul Majeed, a resident of Dhok Sayyedan.

Power outages seemed to following a 12-hour suspension schedule (one hour on, one hour off) in Dhamial, Hayyal, Chakri Road Colony, Kalyal, Quaid-e-Azam Colony, Ahmedabad, Bakra Mandi, Dhoke Syedan, Girja Road, Baraf Khana Chowk, Misrial Road, Chakra, Dheri Hassanabad, Lal Kurti, Lalazar, Mubarak Lane, Mumtaz Colony, Dhoke Noor, Chungi Number 20, Gulshanabad, Dhoke Paharian, Dehgal, Gorakhpur, Adyala Village, Dhoke Hassu, Dhoke Mangtal, Dhoke Ratta, Hazara Colony, Dhoke Kashmirian, Afhsan Colony, Dhoke Chaudhrian and Millat Colony on Monday.

“We are daily wage earners and have to work on daily basis. We can only rest for a few hours at night, but load-shedding deprives us of that as well,” said Rameez Jan, a labourer in Pirwadhai.

He also complained that he is being charged more than the electricity he consumes. “That is why power theft is common.”

“If the government wants to control power theft and line losses it should ensure provision of electricity in areas where recovery is 100 per cent,” said Akhtar Ali, a resident of Pirwadhai. Ali said it is unjust to charge extra from people who regularly pay their bills and provide nothing in return.

Published in The Express Tribune, July 1^st, 2014.