Country switching to daylight saving hour from June 1
ISLAMABAD (May 15 2008): Country is switching to daylight saving time next month to reduce the impact of acute power shortages in the country, Water and Power Minister Raja Pervez Ashraf said on Wednesday. The government has decided that clocks would be moved forward an hour, to GMT+6, on June 1 to ensure maximum use of daylight, minister said.
“All this is being done to combat this menace of load-shedding,” he told a news conference using a term that refers to managed power cuts.
**OUR CORRESPONDENT FROM ISLAMABAD ADDS: **The Federal Cabinet has approved bidding for generating 1200 MW thermal power on tariff fixed by National Electric Power Regulatory Authority (Nepra) besides, putting 500MW in the system by adopting conservation measures.
These decisions were taken by the special cabinet meeting held with Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani in the chair on ongoing power crisis. Raja Pervez Ashraf flanked by Minister for Information and Broadcasting Sherry Rehman said that chief ministers of all the four provinces were also invited to the meeting that agreed on short as well as long term strategies to address the problem of load shedding. There is a shortage of 4000MW in the system with declining water reservoirs in the rivers to further worsen situation in the next three months, he said.
He said 1200MW electricity would be included in the system within 12 to 18 months through a bidding process to be started on May 20 through an advertisement. The process will be monitored by Secretary Water and Power, Chairman Nepra and representatives of media. “Basic objective of our policy is to encourage private sector in power generation to overcome this crisis,” he said.
Giving details about 500MW to be put in the system through energy conservation, the minister said all shopping plazas would be closed by 9:00pm from July 1 and no electricity would be supplied to billboards. The power would also be managed from streetlights that would be lit half of the total in the country.
He said shopkeepers would be encouraged to remain closed on Friday instead of Sunday while one million energy saver bulbs will be provided in the first phase. The meeting, he said, also decided that no air conditioners would be used in government offices from 8:00am to 11:00am including Prime Minister House.
The meeting also constituted to resolve the financial problems of the Ministry of Water and Power particularly by resolving outstanding dues with the provinces and departments. The Minister warned of stern action against officials involved in line losses and reward to those who would contribute in reducing them, assuring there would be end to load shedding in one year with the implementation of this plan.
Copyright Reuters, 2008](javascript:void(0))
