Monday, November 20, 2006
Electricity workers targeted
Reconstruction
Insecurity is hampering repair work by electricity workers 66 of whom have so far been killed in Karkh, the western region of Baghdad. “Deterioration in security is the major hurdle preventing us from doing our job properly,” said Ghaleb Baqer, Director-General of Karkh Power Distribution Company. “We have lost 66 workers to violence and many others have suffered heavy injuries,” he said.
Power pylons and lines come under attack in Iraq where the authorities have failed to impose fees for power consumption. The national grid is unreliable and only capable of providing erratic supplies which may not continue for one hour in a day. Residents bypass meters installed by the grid. Baqer said his engineers have found “58,700 cases of violation” by residents who devise their own way of reaching the main lines of supply. Power output is said to still be less than the pre-war levels.
Power pylons and lines come under attack in Iraq where the authorities have failed to impose fees for power consumption. The national grid is unreliable and only capable of providing erratic supplies which may not continue for one hour in a day. Residents bypass meters installed by the grid. Baqer said his engineers have found “58,700 cases of violation” by residents who devise their own way of reaching the main lines of supply. Power output is said to still be less than the pre-war levels.
