LANDI KOTAL, March 14: While the Wapda claims to have provided 1,941,124 new power connections during the last two years, it has miserably failed to ensure uninterrupted electricity supply to residents of Landi Kotal tehsil in Khyber Agency.

Complaints about unannounced and unjustified loadshedding have so far fallen on deaf ears. The 132 KV grid stations are often switched off under the pretext of overloading.

The residents experience 14- to 18-hour loadshedding at a stretch these days. After the installation of the grid station in 1985, electricity consumers had been promised full and uninterrupted supply of power to the area. That promise was never fulfilled.

The Wapda authorities have divided Landi Kotal tehsil into eight feeders. Talking to this correspondent, station operator Lal Badshah clarified that power supply was suspended to a certain area where the feeder exceeded 430 ampere load.

But this assertion of Wapda official was refuted by Ahmad Shah Shinwari, general secretary Khyber Welfare Organiza-tion, alleging that Wapda linemen, in connivance with the local political administration, have provided illegal connections to Afghan refugees residing in the area which is an extra burden on the grid station.

Residents of the area also accused Wapda officials of accepting graft from influentials of the area in lieu of an uninterrupted supply of electricity to their residences. Prolonged loadshedding has also badly affected water supply to the area.

Tahir Khan of Fatamikhel village alleged that they were deliberately kept without water and power for their refusal to install electricity meters. The Wapda authorities and NWFP governor have been exhorting the tribesmen to install meters in the tribal area.

Loe Shalman and Kum Shalman are the worst hit by loadshedding. Dunia Gul, a resident of Loe Shalman, told Dawn that power supply was suspended to their villages for three to four days. Despite paying Rs200 per house to the Wapda officials, they were not supplied electricity even during Eid days, he added.

It has become a common practice in Landi Kotal that Wapda linemen, in connivance with a clerk of political administration, disconnect power supply to a certain area and restore it only when they are paid some cash.

Wapda officials refuted corruption charges against them and insisted that the 132 KV grid station was not capable of taking extra load.