Power crisis: LCCI calls for up-gradation of distribution system

Recent breakdowns in northern areas have revealed shortcomings

LAHORE: The Lahore Chamber of Commerce and Industry (LCCI) has called for the up gradation of the power transmission and distribution system to get rid of issues of electricity supply suspension.



“The repeated incidents of power failure have revealed the weakness of the power transmission and distribution system. The worst power failures in recent days has plunged the country into darkness. This situation will be further aggravated if steps are not taken on war footing,” said LCCI President Sheikh Muhammad Arshad and Senior Vice President Almas Hyder.

“Most of the industrial units have already reduced their working hours. This has led to an increased level of raw material wastage and made the production process non-profitable,” said the LCCI president

He said the shortage of electricity had already caused a flight of capital and the relocation of industrial units to countries like Bangladesh and Malaysia, besides reducing government’s revenues drastically.

“Unemployment and industrial closure give birth to lawlessness and anarchy; the government should reset its priorities as far as power generation is concerned and share the energy plan with the LCCI,” he added.



He also called for the timely completion of hydropower projects and said they were vital for mitigating water and power shortfall.

LCCI Senior Vice President Almas Haider said the private sector was the engine of growth and in the developed countries it is facilitated to the maximum. In Pakistan, however, the circumstances were quite the other way round.

“The promotion of alternative energy resources would definitely curtail the burden from the conventional energy system,” he said.

Published in The Express Tribune, January 24^th, 2016.

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