February 01, 2008	Friday	Muharram 22, 1429

ISLAMABAD, Jan 31: Caretaker Prime Minister Mohammedmian Soomro has constituted a committee to settle the issue of tariff with Independent Power Producers (IPPs) for electricity generated by wind-powered plants and submit its report within 10 days.

At a high-level meeting held here on Thursday to review the energy situation, he asked the members of the committee to hold talks with Wapda, KPT and Pakistan Steel on the possibility of setting up plants at their premises to generate power from wind.

The committee will also hold talks with the Heavy Mechanical Complex, Karachi Shipyard, Pakistan Steel and the Engineering Development Board for manufacturing wind turbines and solar panels.

According to a statement issued after the meeting, the prime minister asked the Secretary of the Cabinet Division to finalise recommendations for the use solar energy for street lights and billboards and a phase-wise shifting of public sector buildings to solar energy.

The prime minister approved setting up of a petroleum university for education, research and training in the sector.

He said short- and long-term measures should be taken to enhance the power generation capacity and tap energy resources like wind, sunlight and coal.

He called for coordinated efforts by the ministries and departments concerned for developing alternative sources of energy and conserving energy.

He said that all the available resources should be utilised for increasing energy production to ensure sustainability of economic growth and development.

He appealed to all sections of society to share responsibility towards this national cause and use energy in a proper manner.