USAID demonstrates how to conserve electricity.

OUR STAFF REPORTER NANKANA SAHIB More than 200 visitors on Wednesday gathered at a hall here to observe the USAID-sponsored demonstration on ways how to reduce electricity consumption in agriculture sector by around 40 percent. Pakistan has been facing power crisis for years and now the shortfall has reached to about 5,500 MW, causing hardships for commerce, industrial and agriculture sectors. GDP growth has declined from 8 per cent to 2.4pc and 20.9 pc of GDP relies on agriculture. Pakistan is the worlds fourth largest user of ground water for irrigation in terms of area underground water irrigation, Wapda officials told the media at a wedding hall. The demonstration was also observed by MPA Rai Shahjahan Bhatti, journalists, USAID officials, farmers and producers of water pumps. This initiative is a part of the US commitment to help Pakistan reduce its power deficit. USAID, through its Tub Well Efficiency Improvement Programme, is planning to co-fund the replacement of 11,000 water pumps by 2013, saving estimated 45MW of electricity and reducing framers electricity bills by Rs650 millions annually. There are total around 1.2 million tube wells working in Pakistan. This initiative will also result in increased revenues for the power distribution companies, which will be able to sell the saved electricity to commercial entities at full rate. The agriculture sector is a major consumer of energy and the pumps that farmers use for irrigation are responsible for a large share of peak electrical demand. Many of the current pumps being used by the farmers operate at only around 30 pc to 40 pc .So the farmers who will replace their old water pumps with new energy efficient ones would get more output paying less in their electricity bills. Police seize drugs: The police arrested drug peddlers from different areas here the other day. Reportedly, on a tip-off, the Mangtanwala Police seized 200 grams of Charas from one Ali Ahmed, a resident of village Khakhi Shah and 170 gram of Charas from Muhammad Nawaz. Similarly, the Nankana City Police captured 15 litres liquor from Piter Jan Mahsai. Meanwhile, the Warburton Police arrested with 100 gram of Charas notorious drug peddler Walayat Ali, a resident of Jislani Morr.

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