Loadshedding continues to go on…

Doing the same practice time and time again and anticipating it to give up different results every time often proves wrong. However, our lawmakers seem to have developed an obsession for this repetitive exercise.

The end-results of the second national energy conference, held under the chairmanship of Prime Minister Syed Yousaf Raza Gilani in Lahore, were all about managing the growing demand for electricity.

Cooling devices are turned on as temperatures and tempers rise across the country. However, it was nothing more than rhetoric whatever was claimed on the occasion by the political lot about bridging the gap between demand and supply.

Ironically, no substantial step was announced to generate more electricity. Similar steps were taken a couple of years ago at the first energy conference including two weekly holidays for government offices, closure of commercial markets and change in government office timings.

A total of 1, 200MW electricity will be saved if all the stakeholders abide by these steps. But question is that what they planned to increase the power generation. The end-result defied the high charging of the conference.

According to an estimate, annual growth of electricity demand is 10 per cent while above mentioned measures will account for less than seven per cent.

Besides the energy conservation plan, Prime Minister Syed Yousaf Raza Gilani announced to distribute the burden of power shortage equally amongst all provinces according to the demand of Punjab Chief Minister Shahbaz Sharif.

Shahbaz Sharif, in return, agreed to all the power-saving measures he had contradicted thus far. However, he is holding his plan to resolve energy crises in three months what he intended to implement after coming to power.

Prime Minister Gilani and his cabinet members, who spent much time in describing the causes of the crisis and what they have done in the last four years to change the scenario, were visibly not expected to admit to worsening the supply gap despite doubling its cost.

Although energy conservation is vital measure, it is not the final solution of the problem. The way out of the crisis is a total overhaul of the power sector for enhancing its efficiency and putting up ne coal and hydro-generation projects.

Those who are losing their livelihood will not forgive ruling lot if the situation remains unchanged.

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Posted by Faisal Farooq on Apr 11 2012. Filed under National, Opinion, Pakistan, Society. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0. You can skip to the end and leave a response. Pinging is currently not allowed.