ISLAMABAD: Federal Minister for Water and Power Khawaja Muhammad Asif Tuesday underlined the need of conservation of water, electricity and gas for national security.
Speaking at the prize distribution ceremony of 46th WAPDA Annual Inter Unit Sports competitions here, the minister said water security was a major component of the national security. He said enhancing water storage capacity in the country was dire need of the hour. “Conservation is the best solution to water security,” he said.
Asif said every year major portion of water flowed into sea due to limited storage capacity in the country. However, now the much awaited Diamer Bhasha and Munda dams were gradually becoming reality, he added.
He said the said projects would help enhance water storage in the country. One million acre feet additional water was available in the reservoirs for the Kharif crop as compared to last year, he added.
The minister said massive forestation could help mitigate floods which brought havoc every year.
He urged the WAPDA and other power distribution companies (DISCOs) to lead in forestation drive like its achievement in the field of sport.
Asif said the country would be sufficient in power generation in 2018. All sources including hydel, coal, gas, RLNG would be utilized to overcome power load-shedding in the country, he added. He said that work on three LNG projects of 3600 megawatts were in progress. These plants were being setup nearer to load centres to minimize line losses, he added.
Asif said zero power load-shedding had been carried out to the industry since October 2014. “Fuel is available to run all captive power plants in the country, he said. He said the imported regasified liquified natural gas was cheaper than the locally produced gas. He said there was a separate cell in the PM’s Secretariat to monitor all power projects individually.
The minister said to increase the water reservoirs in the country is the need of hour because water security is important like national security. He lauded WAPDA players for good performance in Asian games and also urged private sector to play a key role in the promotion of sports in the country.
Speaking on the occasion, WAPDA Chairman Zafar Mehmood said that WAPDA has been providing patronage for promotion of sports in the country for over five decades adding that it would continue to play this role with renewed vigour.
He said WAPDA has 58 teams including 35 men and 23 women. At present, WAPDA was national champion in 28 sports and runners-up in 17 disciplines, he added.
Highlighting the performance of WAPDA players in the 12th South Asian games 2016, the chairman said that WAPDA bagged 47 medals for the country out of Pakistan’s total 106 medals. The medals won by WAPDA players included 7 gold, 19 silver and 21 bronze, he added.
Zafar Mehmood said that WAPDA has introduced four initiatives in sports as part of its corporate social responsibility namely “WAPDA Endowment Fund for Sports” to elevate the standard of sports in Pakistan. WAPDA Athletics Colts would promote athletic in the country, Focus on Fielding and Fitness and T-12 Cricket to improve the fielding in Pakistan’s cricket, he added.
Earlier, the Minister distributed trophies among CEOs of companies for their good performance in sports. CEOs of IESCO, GEPCO and FESCO were also present on the occasion.
