Parliament House goes green

Green Parliament Project is a milestone in overcoming the shortage of electricity in the country, says PM Nawaz

ISLAMABAD:

Pakistan’s Parliament House became the world’s first fully solar-powered legislative house on Tuesday when Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif inaugurated the Green Parliament Project.

He formally opened the 1.8MW project by pressing a button linked to a network of solar panels. Completed through a Chinese grant, the project will provide an alternative source of energy to meet electricity needs of the Parliament House.

“Green Parliament Project is a milestone in overcoming the shortage of electricity in the country,” said the prime minister while speaking at the inaugural ceremony, attended Senate Chairman Raza Rabbani, National Assembly Speaker Sardar Ayaz Sadiq, Chinese Ambassador Sun Weidong and ministers and parliamentarians.

The prime minister hoped the government would overcome the chronic electricity crisis during its tenure, adding that he was personally monitoring ongoing power projects.  “I call upon public and private sectors to follow the exemplary project and work on similar projects utilising solar power.”

He also thanked China for its support in materialisation of the project and termed it a testimony of the ‘solid friendship’ between the two countries. He also lauded efforts of the Senate chairman and National Assembly speaker for taking interest in the project.

Sadiq said Green Parliament was a significant addition to the government’s projects of overcoming electricity crisis. “The solar power plant will meet the building’s power needs and set a precedent for others to switch to renewable sources of energy,” he said.

The solar panels –installed in the parliament’s premises – are linked to the national grid to pass on the surplus electricity.

Nawaz meets President Mamnoon

Separately, Premier Nawaz called on President Mamnoon Hussain at the Aiwan-e-Sadr on Tuesday and discussed overall situation in the country, including progress on the multibillion-dollar China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) and other energy projects.

They also discussed overall law and order and economic situation in the country, Operation Zarb-e-Azb and the Karachi operation, according to an official statement.

The prime minister briefed the president on policies and decisions of the government on different issues. While reviewing operations in the tribal regions and Karachi, they expressed satisfaction at the successes achieved and resolved that the operations would continue till elimination of the last terrorist.


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