PM for zero power cuts during Sehr, Iftar

Shehbaz directs for expediting solarisation process of govt buildings

ISLAMABAD:

Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Tuesday directed for minimum power load management during the summer season and zero cuts during Sehr and Iftar in the holy month of Ramazan.

The prime minister while expressing his displeasure over the delay in construction of 500Kv Thar-Matiari power transmission, directed for ensuring departmental proceedings against the negligent officials.

He also questioned the delay in the completion of power transmission in the stipulated time period.

The prime minister was chairing a meeting to review the demand and supply of power during the summer season and the work on different power sector projects, PM Office Media Wing said in a statement.

The meeting was briefed over expected power demand and supply as well as load management during the upcoming summer season. The meeting was also apprised of the progress on the government’s 10,000 megawatts solarisation project.

The meeting was attended by federal ministers Ishaq Dar, Khawaja Asif, Khurram Dastagir, Marriyum Aurangzeb, Chaudhry Salik Hussain, Syed Murtaza Mahmood, Ahsanur Rehman Mazari, PM’s Adviser Ahad Khan Cheema, state ministers Dr Musadik Malik and Muhammad Hashim Notezai as well as PM’s special assistants Jehanzaib Khan and Syed Fahad Hussain and other relevant authorities officials.

The meeting was told that the government was taking steps on a priority basis for the solarisation of the official buildings and its implementation would be ensured in the targeted period.

The prime minister directed for expediting the process of solarisation and also asked for the re-constitution of the NTDC board.

A proposed policy for the preparation of the indigenous solar panels would be presented before the cabinet in its next meeting while the policy for the manufacturing of the electric bikes at the local level was also in the final stages for which consultations with all the stakeholders had been completed.

For the conservation of gas, under the prime minister’s directive, the process for installation of conical baffles in the geysers had been completed one month ahead of the set period of time.

The relevant production units had been informed that the manufacturing of the power-consuming fans and incandescent bulbs would be completely banned after June 30 this year.

The meeting was further informed about the cabinet’s energy conversation plan of Jan 3.

The prime minister directed all the provinces to strictly implement the plan and take stringent actions against the elements violating the policy measures.

The prime minister also stressed upon running an organised campaign in the media over the conservation of energy, besides inclusion of the subject in the educational syllabus of educational institutions.

The meeting was apprised of the progress on the solarisation of agriculture tube wells.

Besides, holding of consultation with the stakeholders, recently a national awareness seminar had also been arranged at the national level, it added. \APP