Power distribution improved by 90pc: minister

LAHORE

State Minister for Water and Power Ch Abid Sher Ali has claimed that power transmission and distribution network has improved by 90 per cent. 

The minister said this while talking to the media along with MNA Ch Tahir Bashir Cheema during inauguration of 220-kV grid station on Tuesday. Speaking on the occasion, Ch Abid Sher Ali said the government is committed to eliminating loadshedding from the country.

Power projects of over 10,000 MW capacity are being completed on fast track and 220 kV grid station along with 88-km transmission line has been constructed by National Transmission and Despatch Company Ltd (NTDC) with the cost of Rs 2633 million. He appreciated the NTDC management, engineers and staff for timely completion of the project and said the grid station will end forced loadshedding, improve voltage level and minimise tripping which was being faced due to overloading of the system. Resultantly, power supply will improve in urban and rural areas. The minister claimed that Ministry of Water and Power, NTDC and DISCOs have overcome 90 percent system constraints and maximum relief will be provided to consumers during the holy month of Ramazan. He said there will be no loadshedding across the country on the day of Pakistan Super League (PSL) final match.

He assured the locals for creation of new subdivisions in Mepco offices to ease their problems related to electricity. While giving the details of NTDC projects, General Manager GSC NTDC, Wajahat Saeed Rana, said NTDC is completing its projects to connect 50 power plants with national grid. “Presently, 37 projects of grid stations and transmission lines are under different stages of completion. NTDC has recently connected 1320 MW coal fired power plant and 1230 MW RLNG Bhikki Power Plant. Whereas transmission line for 230 MW Haveli Bahadur Shah will be connected soon since its transmission line has already been completed. 90 percent construction work of 500 kV Neelum Jhelum Transmission Line has also been completed. To evacuate power from under construction power plants with 4000 MW capacity, the work on 660 kV HVDC transmission line from Matiari to Lahore will start soon, he said and added in the jurisdiction of its projects, NTDC will help deserving and poor students for their education under its CSR initiatives. GM GSC Wajahat Saeed Rana further said NTDC has been given task to construct huge infrastructure of the network and NTDC management, engineers and staff are fully committed to completing these project well before time. 

quality research: The 19th meeting of the Board of Governors (BoG) of the Govt Fatimah Jinnah College for Women (GFJC), Chuna Mandi was held Tuesday in the chair of Punjab Minister for Higher Education and BoG chairman Syed Raza Ali Gilani. 

Principal of the college Prof Shehnaz Kausar informed the meeting that BS Programme had been launched in seven different subjects from this year. The meeting reviewed the agenda items and gave their formal approval. 

According to a press release, Minister Raza Gillani appreciated that the college had been playing an important role in providing higher education facilities to the girls of downtown area of the provincial metropolis. Keeping in view this important role, the Punjab government would provide necessary support and financial assistance to the college administration to further extend quality research and educational facilities to the students. “We are striving to provide equitable educational facilities to the girls so that they could play equal role in national development.” He said 721 public sector colleges would be provided ample developmental funds in the upcoming provincial budget. Later, the minister inspected various portions of the college and commended the rich architectural beauty and grandeur of the college building. 

seminar: A seminar on “Our Responsibilities towards Road Safety Challenges and Traffic Management” arranged by National Highways and Motorway Police (NH&MP) N-5 Sector North-III was held at Kala Shah Campus of University of Engineering and Technology (UET), Lahore. NH&MP Deputy Inspector General Abbas Ahsan said that sense of responsibility was the key to success for the concept of road safety. So in this context, joint efforts by all the quarters concerned are required to ensure road safety to get significant results with regard to reducing the ratio of accidents. He said laws might be revisited according to the need of time to manage the traffic conditions.  The DIG also highlighted that the department had started training sessions for drivers in collaboration with different organisations to produce responsible road users. He said the licensing process was systematic and transparent which had package to get information regarding the national highway codes and safety measures.

UET Vice-Chancellor Prof Dr Fazal Ahmad Khalid said the university was working to start safety engineering in collaboration with many international universities.  Dr Zahara Batool, a PhD in Traffic Safety Engineering, briefed the audience on the present condition of traffic and related challenges faced by Pakistan. Senior Superintendent Police and Ex-UETian Farukh Rasheed, Campus Coordinator Prof Dr Zafar Noon, Faculty of Civil Engineering  Dean Prof Dr Abdul Sattar Shakir,  Sheikhupura District  Bar President Mian Pervaiz and the faculty along with big number of students attended the event.