Electricity loadshedding in Pakistan has increased manifold which is constantly becoming a source of agony and a great hassle for the citizens. There stands an urgent need to address this crisis wisely.
Most importantly, there stands a dire need for the government to resolve this crisis quickly. The government should build up a stringent framework to purchase cheap electricity from China and Iran. KESC, LESCO and PEPCO’s performance should be regularly monitored by the government to eliminate any loopholes in its effective functioning.
The government should formulate a special committee and task force to monitor the functioning of these electricity supply companies. Any inefficiency should be pointed out and a remedy to these should be proposed by these special task forces formulated by the government. These task forces should be entrusted with the significant task of identifying the root cause of the loadshedding that takes place in different cities of Pakistan. It should analyse whether the cause of it is deliberate or is indeed taking place due to power shortfall.
Moreover, steps must be taken to prevent frequent labour union strikes of LESCO and KESC so as to ensure effective power generation activity. Many times strikes observed by the workers of PEPCO, LESCO, KESC hamper the activities of effective power provision to residents, commercial businesses etc.
The government should chalk out effective ways to keep on motivating these power supply company’s workers through timely rise in their wages and salaries and other lucrative incentives. The more motivated these workers are, the more sound power generation activity will be ensured.
At the commercial level, all the businesses should collectively decide to commence their businesses one hour early than usual in the morning and shut them one hour before than usual. A year ago, the government itself implemented this policy for businesses but it no longer was carried this year. Therefore, it is required for the government to consistently implement the policy for businesses and the office to commence and close off their operations one hour earlier than usual. This will help to save electricity and the residents will be provided greater power supply.
At the household level, the residents should also make an economical usage of electricity by operating air conditioners at a lower thermostat. They should make a sensible and prudent use of electricity thinking that majority of Pakistani citizens remains deprived of power supply most of the times.
They should cut off the unwanted consumption of electricity. The usage of air conditioners should be reduced when the weather turns really good and is least humid. The usage of other appliances without which one can go on easily should also be avoided. These steps if implemented wisely at the household level can contribute towards energy conservation and a positive step in reducing electricity.
Lastly, the government should chalk out stringent plans to build in more dams which will be a positive step in electricity generation. Kalabagh dam’s dispute should be resolved at earliest as this dam being of strategic importance if built can contribute productively towards electricity generation in the country and can reduce loadshedding in Pakistan.
AIYZA JAVAID
Lahore