RAHIM YAR KHAN: A 30-foot breach occurred in Khanbela canal, inundating cotton, sugarcane, corn and fodder fields and orchards near Khanbela town of Liaquatpur tehsil, some 76 kilometres from here, in the early hours of Wednesday.

The breach occurred in the 4-L canal and later expanded to 30 feet by early morning. Water flooded nearby villages and entered different fields.

Locals protested against the absence of irrigation officials at the spot and started to plug the breach themselves. According to the irrigation department, its rescue teams had been dispatched to plug the breach.

Inflated power bills

The Jamaat-i-Islami (JI) has announced protests against and blocking of entrance to Multan Electric Power Company (Mepco) offices against alleged inclusion of millions of additional units in the electricity bills of June.

JI district Emir Dr Anwaarul Haq and General Secretary Abdur Rehman Shakir told reporters that Mepco had shifted the weight of its negligence and corruption to the consumers. They claimed that in the bills of June for domestic and commercial consumers, millions of extra units had been added while masses were already facing financial difficulties due to the lockdown. They said many delegations of locals had met the Mepco officials and complained about the additional units.

The JI demanded power company immediately revise the bills by removing the additional units, extend the due date to pay the bills, and allow poor consumers to pay in instalments otherwise the party would block Mepco offices in the district.

They also criticised the government for “befooling” people and creating difficulties for them instead of providing relief.

Published in Dawn, July 2nd, 2020