An energy starving Pakistan has once again doubled up another initiative to make efficient use of available resources. The cabinet approved a number of decisions such as closure of markets and wedding halls at 8.30pm and 10pm, respectively, as well as a strategy to save 40% power consumption in government offices. It went on to propose petrol-run motorcycles replaced with e-bikes, conical baffles in geysers, dimming of streetlights voltage by 50%, scrapping production of inefficient fans and incandescent bulbs and reviewing of water tariff. Under a comprehensive National Emergency Plan, the government endeavours to save hundreds of billions of rupees. To what extent the maximum and right use of technology comes into play in real time is hard to guess, but the fact is that the stagnated economy cannot withstand the luxury of energy wastage and pilferage any longer.
The early to bed, early to rise policy will face a critical challenge at the hands of customary trends. People are not used to restrictions and behave in a wayward manner when it comes to consumption and saving of natural resources. Water wastage is a case in point, and so is with the habit of switching off undesired electrical appliances and lights. Pakistan can easily save per annum Rs23 billion if light-emitting bulbs (LEDs) of up to 40 to 60 watts are used, another Rs15 billion if energy-efficient fans are introduced and a staggering Rs92 billion if geysers are tuned down. This is no small preservation of energy, and will go a long way in recasting a new module of growth and consumption. At the same time, the government must address the wastage phenomenon in terms of energy perks to the privileged classes, and massive pilferage and robbery in transmission lines.
The format of change will not bear fruitful results if the policy is not backed with consistency and stringent retribution. For a country blessed with year-round sunlight and water downstream from the Himalayas, preserving and consuming them in an ordained manner is indispensable, if the scourge of piling up losses on national exchequer has to be eliminated.
Published in The Express Tribune, January 5th, 2023.
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