LAHORE: Aging power transmission and distribution system is not only causing electricity wastage and unable to bear burden of extra production of power but is also causing untoward incidents therefore it should be upgraded without any delay.
In a statement issued here, the Lahore Chamber of Commerce and Industry (LCCI) President Sheikh Muhammad Arshad, Senior Vice President Almas Hyder and Vice President Nasir Saeed said that government is working on various power projects to fulfill the electricity demand which is growing with the passage of time. They said that repeated incidents of power failure in near past have already revealed weakness of power transmission and distribution system. The LCCI office-bearers said that it is a very good sign that government is well aware of the rising demand of electricity and working on a number of power projects days and nights but government should also be aware of the fact that existing power distribution system cannot bear the load of additional power.
They urged the government not to tolerate any laxity towards the up gradation of power transmission and distribution system as any negligence could cause unbearable loss to the trade, industry and economy.
They also urged the government to ensure early completion of ongoing power projects as it is not a must to keep the industrial wheel moving but economic growth is also linked with sufficient and cheap energy.
The LCCI office-bearers that business community does not have any doubts about the seriousness of present regime in solving the energy crisis as it has already started a number of power projects but there is a dire need of their completion in the shortest possible time as an acute shortage of electricity is hitting the economic activities hard.
They said that the timely completion of hydropower projects was vital for mitigating water and power shortfall. They said that government should exploit all available options to stop unscheduled power cuts which are hitting the economic activities hard.
The LCCI office-bearers said that the government should understand that economic well being is a must. Therefore, the government should understand the ground realities and reset its priorities as far as power generation is concerned.
They said the private sector is engine of the growth and in the developed countries it is facilitated to the maximum but in Pakistan circumstances are quite the other way round.
They said that promotion of alternate energy resources would definitely curtail the burden from conventional energy system therefore government should bring down duties and taxes on the equipment being used for power generation through alternate energy resources.
