LAHORE - The Punjab government has expedited the process of increasing energy generation in the province through solar, biogas, biomass, wind and all other available means so that agricultural, industrial and domestic needs could be met at the earliest and wheel of economy move ahead.
The government has also entered negotiations with various national and international companies to involve them in the achieve-energy programme. The provincial government has also involved Turk companies which have expertise and know-how to generate energy through coal, hydro, solar and the solid waste.
For solar energy, vast resources of silicone are available in Mianwali for manufacturing solar panels and the government is attracting foreign companies to take benefit of the same so that electricity is available to the small farmers awaiting their solar propelled tube-wells to be run as early as possible. Turk companies Sesly Holdings, Her Energy Company of Turkey and Ozkartalar Solid Waste Management have agreed to cooperate with the Punjab government in power generation projects from solid waste in Lahore, Faisalabad, Multan, Gujranwala and Rawalpindi. Turk companies have already invested about $500million in different projects in Punjab and the government looks forward to get more investment in energy sector from them on the basis of success they achieved in the province. While another HB Group of International has also expressed interest in the solar power production and the Chief Minister Shahbaz Sharif has required the Group and provincial authorities to settle financial model and other issues for investment at the earliest. A delegation of HB Group International also met the Chief Minister on Friday. The CM wanted the Group to launch such energy projects in the provinces which make availability of electricity in the shortest time.
The Punjab government is soon going to announce a comprehensive policy for using biogas plants at the rural level with immediate effect. The Chief Minister also presided over a meeting which discussed finalisation and prompt implementation of the policy on biogas projects, to spread the use of energy to the maximum cultivating area of the province as well as give subsidy to the farmers on the biogas energy.
Separately talking to the delegation of Turk Companies and HB Group International, the Chief Minister highlighted the sufferings which all development sectors of the country are facing due to serious energy crisis. He expressed commitment of his government to make every endeavour to rid the country of energy crisis and overcome the same as soon as possible.
Shahbaz Sharif said that a programme has also been chalked out for providing solar energy operated tube-wells to small farmers.
While talking to Turk delegation, the CM said the Turk company should consider launching of power generation projects from solid waste in five big cities of Punjab and submit final recommendations regarding viability of the projects. He assured that Punjab government would provide all out cooperation for this purpose.
He said that power shortage has become the biggest problem of Pakistan and PML-N government immediately after coming into power, started measures on war footing for controlling energy problem. He said that masses have given mandate to the government to eliminate load-shedding and PML-N will come up their expectations. He said that the former federal government committed a serious crime by delaying LNG project and had this project been operational, people would not have been facing the agony of load-shedding.
Chairman Sesly Holdings Hazim said that Turkey also faced energy crisis but the Turk nation overcame the problem with commitment and hard work. He expressed the hope that Pakistan will also be able to resolve the problem of shortage of energy under the leadership of Nawaz Sharif and Shahbaz Sharif. He also expressed the desire to launch power generation projects in Punjab with the cooperation of provincial government. He said that people of Turkey have deep love and affiliation with the Pakistani people and want to cooperate in resolving energy crisis in Pakistan.