It is the prime obligation of any govt to ensure safety, standard and quality of any project before its completion
FAISALABAD: The Minister of State for Water and Power, Chaudhry Abid Sher Ali, recently said that energy projects are being completed on a war footing, along with the establishment of new grid stations to provide electricity connections to all applicants. I would like to draw the attention of the honourable minister towards the deaths of workers and the hurdles in the way of these projects. The quality and standards of projects and the safety of their manpower should not be compromised at any cost. The Nandipur Power Project was inaugurated in Gujranwala in May 2014 but owing to a number of hurdles, the project could not be completed. The controversial plant achieved an average capacity utilisation of 42 per cent. The fuel cost is even higher than that of decades-old power plants in the private and public sectors, which are normally dubbed inefficient and not-so-well-maintained machines. On July 13, a report emerged about at least six people, including three Chinese workers, losing their lives at an under-construction power house, when heavy scaffolding came crashing down at Tarbela Dam Extension 4. The $928 million project was inaugurated by Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif in February 2014 and is expected to be completed in 2017. The project, being implemented by the Chinese company Sinohydro, will produce 1,410 megawatts of electricity. All ongoing, short, medium and long-term energy projects in Pakistan are state-owned entities. It is the prime obligation of any government to ensure the safety, standard and quality of any project before its completion.
Engr Mansoor Ahmed
Published in The Express Tribune, August 21st, 2016.
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