Punjab’s energy crisis: Businessmen chastise govt for ‘discrimination’

Seek meeting with president, PM to resolve the unending problem.

LAHORE: All chambers of commerce of Punjab, in an emergency meeting held here on Wednesday, came down hard on the government for ‘injudicious distribution’ of electricity and gas and called for equal supply of energy to all provinces.

Heads of the chambers met at the Lahore Chamber of Commerce and Industry (LCCI) in an attempt to come up with a joint strategy against discrimination in supply of electricity and gas that has crippled the industry.

Many of the business leaders, who looked aggressive, forcefully called for launching street protests immediately with the support of millions of industry workers. “Punjab alone must not be made the victim of power and gas shortages, rather these should be shared by all provinces,” one of them said.

However, others sought to pacify them, saying the government should first be given a chance to set things to rights.

The industry representatives asked the government to appoint a full-time chairman of Wapda’s power wing that had been working without a head for the last five years. With an additional charge, the power secretary is looking after the affairs of the wing.

Small dams not a solution

Giving a presentation, Wapda’s former chairman Tariq Hameed said Wapda was working on 10 hydropower projects, but none would come online in the next four years even if construction started immediately.

He blamed circular debt for the huge power shortfall of 3,000 to 4,000 megawatts, but clarified Punjab did not contribute anything to the debt. However, he said, some provinces had to pay up to Rs54 billion on this account while Azad Jammu and Kashmir, which owes Rs14 billion, had stopped payments.

He categorically declared that small dams could not meet rising demand of electricity, saying only a quantum jump in power production could pull the country out of energy crisis.

“Solution to the energy problem lies only in construction of Kalabagh Dam and other big dams, which will not only produce substantial amount of electricity, but will also ensure water supply in canals throughout the year,” he said.

Published in The Express Tribune, January 3^rd, 2013.                

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