No more load shedding, claims LESCO!

[LRE]

* Citizen says people under continuous stress due to power shutdown

Staff Report

LAHORE: Lahore Electric Supply Company (LESCO) has decided to end load shedding in the provincial metropolis, however, four to five hours of power shutdowns will be carried out in the suburbs of the provincial capital, Daily Times found out on Thursday.

The citizens have welcomed LESCO’s decision. All major areas of Lahore including Gulberg, Model Town, Defence, Cavalry Ground, Faisal Town, Garden Town, Township, Muslim Town, Iqbal Town and the Walled City would be provided an un-interrupted supply of electricity. The power deficit has reduced, which has resulted in the reduction of power shutdowns. Earlier, LESCO was facing a shortfall of 750 megawatts (MW), which had now been reduced to 300MW. Lahore needed 3,000MW of electricity and it was now receiving 2,250MW from the Pakistan Electric Power Company (PEPCO). Sources said hydroelectric power production had increased after the recent rains filled up the country’s dams.

The citizens of Lahore are hopeful that there would be no lead shedding in the coming days when temperatures would hit ferocious highs.

Stress: Abbas Ali, a businessman from Faisal Town, said people were in a continuous state of stress because of the power shutdowns and routine life was thrown into disarray. Now, after LESCO’s announcement, people could take a sigh of relief. “Children could not study during the night while business activity suffered heavily in the day,” he added. Rana Abid Mehmood, a trader from Township, said it was a mystery to him that the city experienced no load shedding in January and February, but power shutdowns began in March and April and now, load shedding had ended again. “But we are thankful to LESCO,” he added.

However, Lahore’s suburbs like Shahdara, Manga Mandi and Raiwind are facing four to five hours of load shedding daily. The residents of these areas criticised the LESCO for discriminating against the suburbs when conducting power shutdowns. “We pay for electricity as much as the rest of the city but we are the only ones being deprived of this basic necessity,” said Abdul Razaq, a resident of Shahdara. He said such discriminatory attitude only encouraged people to emigrate from the rural areas to the cities.


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