DI KHAN::The 16 to 18 hours long power loadshedding and low voltage here in extremely hot weather conditions by Peshawar Electric Supply Company (PESCO) has made life miserable for the locals while several small industrial units have closed operations in the district resulting in unemployment of hundreds of works.
Despite repeated protests by traders, lawyers and civil society, the PESCO was carrying out forced loadshedding in the district besides electricity tripping and low voltage caused damage to electric appliances.
Advocate Omar Farooq, while talking to reporter, said that the people were already suffering from price hike and increase in petroleum prices while the closure of small industries due to unscheduled and prolonged loadshedding had made several labourers and workers attached with the small industries unemployed.
He said that due to intermittent loadshedding, the people were also facing shortage of drinking water and senior citizens and children were falling sick in extreme weather conditions. He urged the government to take notice of the prolonged and unscheduled loadshedding by PESCO and provide relief to the public which was already suffering due to inflation and price hike.
A representative of traders’ union Sohail Azmi said that due to 18 hours long loadshedding, their businesses were badly affected, especially the business of bakeries and food outlets.
He said that the traders carried out several protests in front of the PESCO office but to no avail and ironically, the company was including fines and extra units in the electricity bills.
On the other hand, the people of PESCO Mandran Sub-division on Thursday staged a protest rally against unscheduled loadshedding and undue bills, and blocked Dera-Bannu Road for all type of traffic.
The protester broke into the house of PESCO superintendent for disconnecting the electricity supply from the transformer. The superintendent lodged an FIR against unknown persons.
Later, the protesters called off their protest after assurances by the district police and local elders.