Solarization of Punjab schools: 15,000 primary schools, 2,800 BHUs in Punjab to go on solar energy, says minister

LAHORE: As many as 15,000 primary schools and 2,800 basic health units (BHUs) across Punjab will be shifted to solar energy by the end of December 2019, said Dr Provincial Minister for Energy Akhtar Malik.

In a statement issued on Wednesday, the minister said some 3500 schools in the South Punjab areas on had already been moved to solar energy. The priority has been given to the off-grid schools in the far-flung areas in this regard, he added.

The provincial minister said that he was stunned to know that some 1,700 schools had been without electricity since the creation of Pakistan. “It is for the first time in almost 72 years since the inception of the country that these schools will be provided with electricity through our solarisation initiative,” he said.

Akhtar Malik was of the opinion that former Punjab Chief Minister Shahbaz Sharif was a narcissist who believed in his own projection. Education, health and energy sectors were never among Shahbaz Sharif’s priorities, the minister said.

During his tenure, Shahbaz Sharif only focused on big projects with big prospects of kick-backs while the development was restricted to press ads only, the provincial minister alleged. He added that the solarization of Punjab would be a game changer and catalyst for better literacy rate.

“Me and my whole team is working with a missionary zeal to bring about social change through such projects of public interest” said Dr Akhter Malik. “Our main objective is to launch the energy projects based on indigenous resources such as wind, sunshine, water and solid waste to meet the energy needs of the country” he added.