March 11, 2008	Tuesday	Rabi-ul-Awwal 2, 1429

LAHORE, March 10: The government needs to tap alternative energy resources and devise an immediate plan to keep the industrial wheel running.

Lahore Chamber of Commerce and Industry President Mohammad Ali Mian stated this in a statement here on Monday while expressing concern over shortage of water in dams.

“India has constructed a number of new water reservoirs while Pakistan is facing a big energy crisis,” he said, adding, “Pakistan will not be able even to ensure water for irrigation and what to talk of hydel power generation due to construction of dams on the Indian side.”

He expressed apprehension that load-shedding would be of more than six hours in the coming days.

He said that it would be wiser to evolve a short-term strategy in consultation with private sector for utilisation of alternative energy resources.

Ali Mian said that during the winter season, the industry suffered heavily due to shortage of gas and now the power crisis was haunting the industry.

All long-term projects, he said, would take at least eight to ten years to complete and there is no short-term project which would be able to start power generation before two years.

He said proposed constitution of a committee, comprising members both from public and private sectors, to cope with the situation.

He urged the government to finalise Pak-Iran gas pipeline deal as early as possible.—APP