KARACHI, May 8: City Nazim Syed Mustafa Kamal has stressed the need for adopting a joint strategy to overcome power crisis in Karachi. Talking to the media after a meeting with CEO of KESC Frank Scher Schmidt in his office here on Monday, the nazim said the city government had decided to pay Rs20 million to the KESC to replace the 132kv line in the Liaquatabad-Nazimabad corridor. The remaining cost would be borne by the KESC.
He said that the city government had no direct bearing on account of electricity problems but being the elected government, it was maintaining liaison with other organizations so that the problems being faced by people could be resolved.
He said the CEO of KESC had been invited to his office in this very context, and a detailed exchange of views was held with him on the electricity problems. The CEO was assured of full cooperation from the city government, he added.
Mr Kamal said the KESC had suggested that keeping off lights of billboards for few hours in the night and using street lights prudently could help conserve electricity.
At present, the city is facing a shortage of 200 megawatts which can be met through administrative measures.
The city government has already removed some 1,500 billboards from different places in the city. People will also have to be involved in power conservation. If one million people kept at least one bulb off, this may result in saving 100MW, i.e. 50 per cent of the total shortage, Mr Kamal said.
At the meeting, the KESC CEO requested the nazim to advise people to conserve electricity in view of the serious shortage. He said that owners of billboards should be told not to energize them in the peak evening hours. This year, power demand will rise up to 2,300MW while KESC generates 1,200MW.
Mr Frank pointed out that no investment had been made in power generation sector over the past 10 years. The KESC was unable to meet the additional demand through its own resources, he added.
The present management, is trying to overcome power shortage through speedy measures and hopefully it would be possible to make up for the demand next year, according to Mr Frank.
He asked the nazim for a 2,500-3000 square yard piece of land for the construction of a grid station in Azizabad. The nazim pledged to oblige him.—APP
