SHEIKHUPURA/SIALKOT-Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif has taken note of the technical fault developed in newly inaugurated Bhiki Hydropower Plant as it has become dysfunctional, and sought a report from the authorities concerned.
The said plant inaugurated by the PM on April 19 had started generating 717 mega watts of energy. The plant stopped functioning on Friday morning and its supply had suspended. The plant has reached at its final stage in December 2017. After its completion, 1,700 megawatts of energy would be added to national grid but ironically it had developed a fault at its initial stage. The Pakistani and Chinese engineers are making hectic efforts to remove the defect and expected to rectify it with in coming four and five days, the sources said.
Meanwhile, a large number of prolonged power outages-beaten people thronged the banks of River Chenab near Head Marala following increase in water level due to snow melting on the Alps in neighbouring Occupied Jammu and Kashmir.
The water level soured up to 43,566 cusecs in River Chenab at Head Marala barrage. The Sialkot region sizzled at 45 degree Celsius, amid the hours-long power outages, which forced the people to go to the local canals, water channels and rivers for bathing in Sialkot, Daska, Bambaanwala-Daska, Nandipur, Motra-Daska, Saahowala-Sambrial , Head Marala and surrounding areas.
A large number of the people were found bathing in the local canals.
There was a rush of people bathing and picnicking in the River Chenab at Head Marala near Sialkot. They reached there from Sialkot, Narowal, Gujrat and Gujranwala districts with their families. The youth were busy playing cricket and football.
The Head Marala is also a picnic spot where a large number of people reach to rejoice the natural landscape and beauty. They enjoyed water melons chilled in Chenab water and boating.
The people were of the view that they reached there to see the rising waves of water in River Chenab at Head Marala. After the nine-year long water scarcity, now the water level is souring up in River Chenab at head Marala near Sialkot. In August 2008, India had stopped water in River Chenab towards Pakistan.
ILLEGAL MONEY EXCHANGE: A team of Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) unearthed an illegal money exchange located in village Dharam Kot, Daska tehsi here.
The FIA recovered big amount of cash in different national and foreign currencies from there. The FIA also arrested owners Kashif Suhail and Tahir Iqbal, who had been running the said illegal money exchange there, it said.
Two days ago, the FIA had unearthed an illegal money exchange being run in their jewelry shop by accused shop owners Iftikhar Ahmed and Muhammad Nawaz in Sialkot city's congested Phullaan Wali Gali locality. FIA has sent the accused behind the bars after registering separate cases against them.