HERAT CITY (PAN): Residents and civil society activists on Monday took to the streets in Herat City, the capital of western Herat province, against prolonged power cuts and low voltage.
Around 200 people took part in the protest demonstration, chanting slogans against the officials concerned.
One of organisers, Nazir Ahmad Raha, told Pajhwok Afghan News electricity supply remained suspended most of the time, especially during Iftar and Sahar.
Also a civil society activist, he claimed low voltage had left electric appliances damaged, accusing Breshna Shirkat officials of deliberately harming consumers. He said the company had been hijacked by mafia groups.
A dweller of the seventh police district, Ghulam Dastagir, alleged powerful individuals continued to be supplied electricity round the clock.
He said the power utility was rife with corruption, alleging energy metres were sold in the back market for 40,000 afghanis apiece.
Provincial Breshna Shirkat deputy chief Dilawar Muradi said their affairs were clean and clear, accusing customers of misusing electricity.
He said Herat imported 130 megawatts of electricity from Iran and Turkmenistan for 190,000 consumers, but the requirement stood at 500 megawatts.
He urged consumers to carefully utilise the facility and avoid using it when not needed. Muradi said some power projects were in the pipeline and the problem of low voltage and outages would be completely resolved over the next five years.
