Senate Standing Committee on Water and Power on Monday urged the authorities concerned to convert the tube-wells of the Balochistan province to solar energy.
The meeting chaired by Senator Iqbal Zafar Jhagra was apprised by Senator Mir Kabeer Ahmed Muhammad Shahi that feeders were over-loaded in the areas resulting in tripping and power suspension and suggested to run tube-wells on solar energy.
The committee members supported the suggestion of Shahi and asked the ministry officials to take the initiative as soon as possible in this regard.
The Quetta Electric Supply Company (QESCO) chief executive officer (CEO) said that this step would provide relief to the masses.
The committee was told that Prime Minister Muhammad Nawaz Sharif had directed the Zarai Taraqiati Bank to start easy loan schemes to facilitate farmers to convert their tube-wells to solar energy.
The officials told the committee that QESCO was providing enough electricity but the recovery was only 4 per cent adding that more load management was being carried out in areas of high losses.
Senator Shahi also informed the committee that Balochistan was paying Rs 12 billion in subsidy which should be used for converting tube wells to solar energy.
Senator Azam Khan Swati suggested that the federal and provincial governments should start the project jointly.
The officials told the committee that there were 30,000 agriculture tube-wells in Balochistan which also provided potable water to the people.
Senator Attaur Rahman drew the attention of the body towards scarcity of drinking water in Taunsa Sharif.
He said that the tube-wells were closed due to non-payment of electricity bills and added that the people were ready to pay their bills.
The officials assured the committee that they would resolve the issue on priority basis.
The committee was informed that about 40 electricity meters were being changed on daily basis on the complaint of the consumers or by meter readers.
The meeting was attended by Senator Iqbal Zafar Jhagra who was in the chair, Senator Mir Kabeer Ahmed Muhammad Shahi, Senator Muhammad Azam Khan Swami, Senator Attaur Rahman, Senator Zafar ullah Khan Dhandla and officials of the Ministry of Water and Power among others.