Power shortage has hit Pakistan badly with long hours of load shedding. It is being suggested that the Thar Coal would be our panacea for loadshedding problems by gasifying the coal. This is, however, a new development that may raise the cost of production of power. What is not recognized at present is that coal based power would not solve the water shortage problem. It is only the hydro-electric dams that solve the problem of water and power. DR. MUHAMMAD YAQOOB BHATTI, Lahore, October 4.