CM Help Sought to End Electricity Crisis in Upper Chitral
The KPK Govt.is dragging its feet in reaching agreement between PEDO & PESCO for supply of Golen Gol Electricity to Upper Chitral where PEDO owns the distribution system. After destruction of Reshun Hydel Station in July 2015 flash floods, the area has been without power for past 3 years. Now when Unit One of 108 MW Golen Gol project is ready and PEDO is not signing power supply agreement with PESCO for Upper Chitral primarily on political grounds thereby denying nearly 2 lakh people the electricity that is direly needed.
PEDO didn’t attend Standing Committee Meeting on Planning Development & Reforms held in Islamabad on 4th Dec 2017 for unknown reasons. PEDOs non serious approach was also obvious when it sent unprepared junior level officials in the 2nd meeting of the Standing Committee held on 28th Dec 2017 at Golen Gol Project Office at Chitral. CEO PESCO& Chairman WAPDA had been writing to PEDO since past 9 months but the KPK Govt.has given a lukewarm response. PEDO officials were taken on a site visit to the Golen Gol Project and shown all technical arrangements on ground by PESCO and WAPDA. Both coalition partners in KPK i.e. PTI & JI remain high on talk & low on action and their local cadres continue to issue warnings to KPK Govt. rather than asking it to side with the public. It is hoped KPK Govt. senses the public’s pulse & take proactive measures by signing power purchase agreement with PESCO desist from playing dirty politics that will only prolong the miseries of the innocent public. A solution simply requires signing an agreement.
MNA Chitral spoke to PESCOs Chief Eng.& Director Planning and was informed they had contacted PEDO at least 5 times after 28th Dec 2017 Standing Committee meeting at Chitral to sign agreement but so far PEDO has not given any positive response. Upon contacting Planning Officer PEDO also had no information. The MNA had separately spoken to Sec Energy KPK as well as Chief Planning Officer Zainullah & none was available. The MNA also sent ansms to CS KPK Azam Khan who is an upright officer and had always responded in the affirmative when it came to issues of Chitral as he has served as DC Chitral and appeals directly to CM KPK to intervene &help solve the problem. People are out on the streets demonstrating against lack of power. The MNA said that the CM is deliberately being ill informed thereby painting the KPK Govt. as part of the problem and hoped direct CM intervention will put an end to dirty politics. Continued indifference will create a law and order situation and the tide of violent protests will only gain strength with time.
The cut-off date of 5th Jan 2018 for reaching a power purchase agreement for Golen Gol electricity given to PEDO & PESCO as per decision of Standing Committee meeting held on 28th Dec 2017 at Chitral has lapsed and PEDO has not filled the requisite forms let alone reaching an agreement. Politicians are exploiting the outraged public who is agitating on daily basis creating law & order situation which if dealt proactively can easily be averted. It would be prudent if PEDO proactively reaches agreement for it to be seen as part of the solution & not part of the problem. The protests will turn violent if Chitral and Drosh get electrified and Upper Chitral with PEDO distribution system is left out.
