Urgent measures needed to overcome energy crisis: chief minister Punjab

Punjab Chief Minister Muhammad Shahbaz Sharif has said that Pakistan is facing serious crisis of energy due to which all sectors of life including agriculture, industry and livestock are being affected badly. There is need of taking urgent measures for initiating the projects of generating energy to overcome the energy problem, he added.
Shahbaz directed that the projects of generating 550 megawatts electricity through coal in the province should be executed speedily and public private partnership should be encouraged. He said that the policy has been given a final shape in consultation with Pakistan Sugar Mills Association for generating energy through bagasse and the projects will be completed in a most transparent manner and speedily.
He was presiding over a high level meeting with regard to the projects of generating energy in Punjab, here on Tuesday. Chief Secretary, Chairman Planning & Development, Chairman for Special Initiatives, Vice Chairman Punjab Investment Board and energy experts also attended the meeting. Secretary Energy Rabnawaz gave a detailed briefing with regard to the progress of the projects generating energy through bagasse and coal whereas Secretary Mines Shahid Mehmood gave briefing about the development of available reserves of coal.
Addressing the meeting, Muhammad Shahbaz Sharif said that the shortage of energy is leaving negative impacts on the economy. Unemployment is increasing due to closure of industries, therefore, immediate measures are needed for overcoming the energy crisis, he added. He said that Punjab government has set up a separate department for speedy implementation of the projects of generating energy through alternative sources.
He said that there are vast reserves of coal in the Punjab, which can be utilised for generating energy. Punjab government will complete the projects of 550 megawatts through public-private partnership, he added. He said that the projects of generating 300 megawatts electricity in Chamalang, 100 megawatts each in Sundar Industrial Estate Lahore and Faisalabad Industrial Estate and 30 megawatts in Multan through coal are being started. Similarly, an agreement has been made with Chinese company for generating 250 megawatts energy through coal in Dera Ghazi Khan, he added. He said that the performance of PUNJMIN for development of mineral resources has been remained unsatisfactory so far, therefore, there is need of its reformation through surgical operation. The Chief Minister also constituted a committee headed by Chief Secretary, which will take steps with regard to make PUNJMIN a vibrant institution. He said that there are vast reserves of iron ore. He directed Secretary Mines to give a briefing with regard to reserves of iron ore in the province at the earliest.
Secretary Energy informed the meeting that all matters with regard to generating energy through bagasse have been settled with Pakistan Sugar Mills Association and work is also going on speedily on the projects of generating energy through coal.
He said that a project has also been evolved for generating energy through coal and setting up biomass power plant to generate 10 to 20 megawatts energy at the site of Punjab Small Industries Co-operation. Secretary Mines informed in the briefing that there is an estimate of 235 million tons coal reserves available in the Punjab. An agreement has also been made for getting coal from Balochistan government whereas negotiation is also going on with Azad Kashmir government for this purpose.