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Sites for 480MW plants selected
Wapda has identified 316 new sites on canal falls for generating an additional 480MW of electricity to tackle the growing power shortfalls across the country.
Official sources told Dawn on Monday that it was becoming increasingly difficult for the government to adhere to the National Energy Security Action Plan aimed at tackling the increasing electricity shortages. Wapda officials were, therefore, directed to initially build five small and medium-sized hydropower projects in Punjab, they said.
In association with the Power Department of Punjab, Wapda officials will be constructing dams of 25MW to 50MW capacity for generating 160.16 GWh cheaper renewable energy annually. Of the 316 sites identified for the purpose, 48 have a potential of more than 2MW.
Supply of power from non-conventional sources even in small qualities would help meeting power shortages to some extent, said the sources. The ADB has agreed to provide conditional financial support to help build five dams in Punjab, provided the project is executed by national and multi-national contractors through national and international competitive bidding (NCB/ICB).
Prior to tendering, the Punjab government will complete power purchase agreement, consents, land acquisition, environmental compensations, financial commitments and bidding documents under the guidelines of the ADB.
The energy generated through these five sites will be sold to the distribution companies of Wapda or the National Transmission and Distribution Company at a negotiated tariff. Five sites identified for generating power in Punjab are Marala, Chainwali, Deg Outfall, Okara and Pakpattan.
The National Accreditation Council of Norway has extended affiliation to the CPC test laboratory as Pakistan’s first-ever internationally recognised lab. An accreditation certificate award ceremony was held at a local hotel under the auspices of Pakistan Gloves Manufacturers and Exporters Association (PGMEA) here on Monday.
Addressing the participants, Trade Development Authority of Pakistan (TDAP) chief executive Tariq Ikram said the lab would provide maximum opportunities to local exporters to get their leather products tested as per international standards instead of approaching the US and UK.
He said results of the lab would be recognised globally. He said the Cleaner Production Centre (CPC) technologies now had become vital for competing in world markets.
Punjab Industries Minister Muhammad Ajmal Cheema said efforts of local businessmen for recognition had borne fruit after 10 years.
CPC project director Shujauddin Siddique said the lab had a capacity of conducting 16 tests of leather products and 13 of water used in tanneries. Earlier, Tariq Ikram and Ajmal Cheema visited the lab at CPC.
The Higher Education Commission (HEC) has closed down a number of programmes due to a Rs4 billion cut in its budget by the ministry of finance. These programmes had been initiated to improve the quality of education and research and equip the laboratories and libraries.
Documents available with the agency show that Chairman Higher Education Commission Dr Attaur Rehman during a presentation to the Senate Standing Committee on Education, Science and Technology expressed his anger at the Rs4 billion cut slapped by the ministry of finance and said that Section 10(g) of the HEC Ordinance said the Higher Education Commission will submit its development budgets to the federal government and allocate funds to the public sector institutions out of the financial provision received from the government and other resources on performance and need basis.
He told the committee that the commission should have been provided Rs15.740 billion as recurring grant for the year 2006-07 but the allocation reflected in the budget book was shown as Rs11.280 billion which was insufficient for the commission.
Prime Minister Shaukat Aziz on Monday said Pakistan was committed to fighting Aids and it was taking preventive/curative steps and using the media to create awareness among the general public to eradicate the disease.
Talking to J.V.R. Parsada Rao, Director UNAIDS the prime minister emphasised the need for public-private partnership to eradicate Aids. He said the government was utilising all resources to nip the evil in the bud. It is working with multilateral organisations, NGOs, WHO and donor agencies to control this disease. — Agencies
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