Sindh Chief Minister Syed Qaim Ali Shah has said that since the mercury has started rising in Sindh the minister of water and power has started prolonged load shedding of over 12 hours a day in the entire province, particularly in the upper and central parts of the province.
A statement issued by the CM House says that the chief minister took notice of prolonged load shedding in rural areas of the province and said that the federal government must minimise load shedding at least during the on-going sweltering weather. “This scorching sun would snatch the life of poor people in the rural areas if you (water and power ministry) resorted to continue the policy of prolonged load shedding, particularly during the peak hours from 1pm to 5pm,” he said.
He said the people from rural areas mostly complain against the prolonged load shedding. “The SESCO and HESCO under the pretext of non-payment of electricity bills mostly take away transformers from the villages and slum area.” This may also be stopped at least during the on-going heatwave season, the CM observbed.
Qaim Ali Shah said he had solid reports that HESCO and SESCO authorities did not deliberately replace the transformers off the areas where they were suffering from heatwaves. This is an inhuman attitude on the part of people who are at the helm of affairs. The chief minister urged the federal government to have mercy on the poor people of Sindh at least during the on-going hot weather.