TIMERGARA: Pesco authorities, local administration and power protesters on Monday agreed to evolve a strategy for load management and overcoming low voltage.

The agreement was made after enraged protesters tried to block the Timergara-Peshawar road in Talash against prolonged power outage and low voltage on two feeders of Chakdara grid station.

However, local elders stopped the protesters from blocl(ing the road and asl(ed the Pesco authorities, district administration and police to hold tall(s with them on the matter.

Pesco executive engineer Nazir Ahmad, additional assistant commissioner Imranud Din and other relevant officials held talks with leaders of protesters for over three hours.

The residents complained they had been facing acute shortage of water owing to low voltage and prolonged power outages. The Talash residents also rejected the plan to stop power supply from 8am to 3pm for 10 days for construction work on the grid station.

They warned to block the main road if the authorities did notreverse the decision.

Responding to public complaints, the Pesco executive engineer admitted inefficiency of Pesco workers and promised to increase the staff at all complaint offices. He also directed the SDO Pesco to launch a cracl(down on power thieves.

A committee was formed to devise a strategy to overcome the problem of low voltage.

Also in the day, a peaceful protest was held against power outage and low voltage in Osakai area of Adenzai. The protesters said the officials of Chakdara grid station were involved in supplying illegal power supply to crushing machines in the area. They demanded of Pesco authorities to probe the matter.

BUTHCHERS` DEMAND: The butchers` association on Monday threatened to stop selling meat if the district administration failed to establish a permanent slaughterhouse in the district headquarters within a week.

Speaking at a news conference, the association`s president Navid Ahmad and general secretary Javid Iqbal said the butchers had been facing problems due to unavailability of permanent slaughterhouse in Timergara. They said the TMA collected taxes but did nothing for public welfare.

Eight buffaloes were reportedly 1(illed when a heavy transmission line from the Chakdara grid station fell on them on the bank of River Swat in Adenzai.

The owner Bacha Said told journalists that he along with other farmers was grazing their cows and buffaloes on the river bank in Shamlai area when suddenly a heavy transmission line fell on the cattle killing eight of buffaloes on the spot. The farmer demanded compensation from the government.