Demand for restoration of subsidy

QUETTA: The Balochistan Assembly adopted a resolution demanding the restoration of subsidy on electricity bills of Balochistan farmers, expediting work on laying the Dadu-Khuzdar and Dera Ghazi Khan-Loralai power transmission lines and increase in the electricity supply from National grids to Balochistan to end the power load shedding in the province. During Saturday's proceedings chaired by the Speaker Mohammad Aslam Bhootani, power load shedding came under strong criticism from the Balochistan lawmakers, particularly the cabinet ministers. Delivering speeches on the adjournment motion, tabled by the PML-Q MPA Shaikh Jaffar Khan Mandokhail, law makers in the house strongly criticized the prolonged power load shedding in parts of Balochistan saying the power outages have destroyed the agriculture sector of the province. PPP parliamentary leader and Balochistan Minister for Communication and Works, Sadiq Umrani said that about 90 percent population of Balochistan is connected with agriculture, adding the power outages in Balochistan have badly damaged the economy of the province. Provincial Minister for Inter-Provincial Coordination Ruqayya Saeed Hashmi expressing her concern over the issue suggested that the alternate means of power be adopted. The legislators must be informed about the status of Alternate Energy Board which has recently been constituted to overcome the electricity shortage crisis. Ainullah Shams, the Health Minister endorsing the Hashmi said that Balochistan is enriched with natural resources and the coal being extracted from Chamalang, Dukki and Mach regions of the province could be used for power production. Minister for Industries and Commerce, Ahsan Shah said that power production plants including Och, Hub-Co and Habibullah are producing more electricity than Balochistan requirement, adding appropriate measures could resolve the issue effectively. He deplored that Makran division which receives 35 MW from Iran was suffering hard due to power load shedding and demanded of the federal government to ink an agreement with the Iranian government as it is ready to provide more 35 MW electricity in the region of Makran division. Speaker Balochistan Assembly on the occasion said that Chief Minister has taken up the issue with the Prime Minister and would be resolved soon. Ministers including Habibur Rehman Muhammad Hasni, Shahnawaz Marri, Fauzia Marri, Asim Kurd Gailu, Captain Abdul Khaliq Achakzai and Basant Lal Gulshan also criticized the long hours of power load shedding in the province, saying that it has "paralysed" the agricultural sector. They demanded an immediate end to the prolonged load shedding They added that long hours of load shedding were inflicting irreparable loss, both on the growers and domestic consumers, adding the federal government should develop alternate sources for power production. They opined that the government should install coal-run power plants, which would not only produce cheap electricity but coal was also in abundance in various parts of Balochistan. They stressed that the producing power through alternative sources of wind energy could yield results in six months and could minimize the power shortfall in the province. Concluding the debate on the motion, Irrigation and Power Minister Sardar Aslam Bizenjo said that QESCO should not be blamed for all wrongs. It would be unfair if we don't acknowledge that QESCO has completed almost 90 percent work on Kuwait funded project. He demanded of the federal government to help Balochistan government in early completion of work on carrying out transmission line project of the Dadu-Khuzdar and Dera Ghazi Khan-Loralai. Besides an alternate transmission line from Och power plant to Sibi be laid so that any subversive activity could not affect the power supply to Quetta and other parts of Balochistan. The house later approved the adornment motion as resolution unanimously. Later, the chair prorogued the session.