NAUDERO: An independent candidate for provincial assembly seat PS-10, advocate Muhammad Bachal Mangi, on Sunday along with his supporters held a demonstration against alleged atrocities of SEPCO (Sukkur Electric Power Company) for issuing unfair electricity detection bills and prolonged power outages. Reportedly, the angry agitators chanted full throat slogans against SEPCO and burnt an effigy of SEPCO’ Naundero sub-divisional officer (SDO) Sajad Memon, and claimed that 14 to 16-hour un-scheduled load-shedding has paralysed the lives of residents and crippled businesses in the region. The demonstrators marched through the roads of Naundero and staged a sit-in in front of press club. While talking to the media, the protesters alleged that consumers were being served ‘heavy and illegal’ detection bills on a monthly basis between Rs5,000 to Rs40,000. They further accused SEPCO authorities for their corrupt practices, and claimed that no government authority has been sincere to investigation into the massive corruption. “After every 30 minutes, the grid station in-charge shuts down the electricity supply while the linemen have been appointed as line superintendents, which is a sheer violation of apex court directives,” they remarked while adding that SDO did not respond to complaints effectively. They alleged that there has been no complaint cell at SDO office, and the SEPCO staff did not respond to phone calls when electricity supply fails. “Electricity supply is restored temporarily when SEPCO staff is paid a significant amount of money,” he revealed while vowing to continue protests until power issue is not resolved in the region. Meanwhile, Larkana power grid executive engineer Abdul Haq Siyal said that a fourth power feeder has been set up in Naundero, however electricity has not yet been supplied to the unit by sub-division operation officials, causing overload in the other power feeders. While defending Naundero grid staff, he claimed that they were not responsible for power outages while operation staff needs to work during power failure. Regarding restoration of supply during Eid holidays, he said that due to closure of all markets and shops in the region, the power supply remained uninterrupted. Meanwhile, the citizens demanded higher authorities to adopt effective measures and policies for a permanent restoration of electricity in Naundero. Published in Daily Times, June 25th 2018.