23-hour load shedding in Landikotal disrupts life

LANDIKOTAL: The people of Landikotal reportedly experienced up to 23 hours of load shedding on Wednesday, which paralised life in the tribal region. 

The locals said that the political administration and TESCO officials had failed to give any relief to them in Ramazan, despite their repeated demands from the government for the fair provision of power supply. 

They claimed that the load shedding had created a serious shortage of potable water in the area and as a result women had to bring water from far off areas.

The residents lashed out at the administration for failing to convene any joint meetings of the TESCO and grid officials with the elders of the tribal areas in Landikotal to sort out the problem.

“The political administration can do a lot to control the situation by providing power generators to run tube wells in the Khyber area of Landikotal or set up solar system for this purpose, but there is a lack of the will on the part of the officials of local administration,” Jan Gul Zakha Khel, a local, observed. 

“The big recovery and huge funds from the checkposts in Khyber Agency had never been utilised for public service or to resolve any genuine problem of the tribesmen. Instead the illicit money goes into the personal accounts of the local officials,” he added.

“TESCO officials provide power to ice and steel factories in Shakas area of Jamrud and make illegal money, this has multiplied load shedding in Jamrud and Landikotal,” local resident Bakht Jam Afridi informed, saying the government must hold TESCO officials accountable. 

Afridi regretted the silence of the people over the excessive load shedding issue in the tribal regions. He said this had encouraged the officials of various departments to carry on exploitation of the people. 

“There is an unusual crowd of tribal women at every tube well in the area, when electricity comes back, even if it is for a few moments,” one Jamal Sher observed, saying it was against basic human rights on the part of the government.

“Scheduled load shedding is better, but there is a complete breakdown of power in Landikotal and other tribal regions, which is greatly deplorable,” he concluded.


AQ