SUKKUR, Feb 5: The chief executive, Hyderabad Electric Supply Company (Hesco), Brig Mohammad Ali Khan, here on Sunday said that seven new sub-divisions were created in Sindh due to rising number of consumers.

Talking to newsmen at the circle office he said that the Hesco had provided many facilities for the consumers who wanted to get new connections. The new consumers had to pay the connection fee in 12 instalments, he added.

The Hesco had prepared a scheme for the tube-well consumers in the rural areas so that they could deposit the charges in 24 instalments. He deplored that the scheme had failed and the Hesco had sustained a loss as the consumers did not take any benefit of the scheme.

He said that punitive action was taken against 80 employees of the Hesco on public complaints, and added that 70 of them had been charge sheeted.

Mr Khan said that four recovery magistrates had been requisitioned by the Hesco, and efforts were being made to minimize the line losses.

Answering a question he said that there was no load shedding in Sindh, and the Hesco had sufficient power for supply. However, due to repairs and maintenance, the power shut down had to be observed, which caused problems for the people.

He said there was no programme to restart the Sukkur Thermal Power Station, as its machinery had completed its term.

PROBE: The DIG of Sukkur region (Operations) Syed Mushtaq Ahmed Shah, has formed six teams to investigate the killing of Sudham Chand Chawla, a Hindu leader.

He directed the teams to conduct raids and take action against those suspected in the killing of Chawla.

WATER ROTATION: The revised rotation programme of water channels of Thar division has been scheduled under the Rabi water management plan due to short supply of water in the River Indus.

Accordingly, the channels of the system from RD-0 to 220 of Upper Nara Canal, both sides, have been opened from Feb 2, and will be closed on Feb 9.

Similarly, the channels of the system will be opened from Feb 16, and closed on Feb 23.