Unannounced power outages add to Pindiites woes

Rawalpindi:The residents of Rawalpindi city and cantonment board are not only facing 8 to 10 hours of unannounced loadshedding but also experiencing a severe water shortage in the hot weather. The frequent electricity outages have disrupted daily life and business operations. The Islamabad Electric Supply Company (Iesco) seems to be oblivious to this situation.

The Water and Sanitation Agency (Wasa) Deputy Director (Water Supply) Sadoon Basra stated that they are struggling to supply water due to the frequent power outages. He appealed to Iesco to provide uninterrupted power supply for water supply in all areas.

The unannounced loadshedding has severely disrupted work in offices. Citizens are facing a dire situation due to power outages occurring every two hours. Residents of several areas have complained about facing not only loadshedding but also tripping and low voltages. The continuous disruption of power supply has affected the operations of tube wells, leading to a shortage of water for the residents.

Iesco officials have admitted that they are implementing 6 to 8 hours of load shedding in all areas due to electricity shortfall. They claim that power supply has been cut in areas where consumers have not paid their bills.

In response, the Commissioner Rawalpindi Division Aamir Khattak directed Iesco officials to take strict action against individuals who have not paid their pending dues. He also instructed not to stop power supply in areas where the majority of consumers are paying bills regularly.

The demand for UPS batteries and generators has increased due to the rise in power loadshedding. Shops selling UPS batteries on College Road are crowded with buyers. People from Rawal­pindi and Islamabad have appealed to higher authorities to provide uninterrupted power supply in this hot and humid weather, as the public is suffering due to the absence of light and water. It's important to note that due to the increasing complaints about unannounced loadshedding, the complaints cell of Iesco has stopped attending telephone calls.