KARACHI: Energy conservation policy for maximizing use of daylight hours for commercial activities is a brilliant idea but we have to see that if it suits with the existing and devastated infrastructure of Karachi.

Every city has its own style and composition. Local business community inclusive of retailer, wholesalers, suppliers, small & medium size traders and industries are not happy with it. Specially retailers, who are the main component for the growth any economy have serious problems of purchasing parities, buyers. For them it is like purchasing power erosion, said Ateeq ur Rahman, economic & financial analyst.

He said due to poor infrastructure and without alternatives, underpasses, bridges, link roads, ring roads, expressways, Karachiites regularly face traffic congestions. Closing on sunset may bring the main traffic of office and markets together; hence, compounding the traffic on the road as a source of wastage of energy, muscles and time.

Further a very poor public transport system, especially pedestrians and people without any transport including working women, causes great pain and hardship to them. They have to wait for hours together to go to home at bus stands, added Ateeq.

Moreover, the stall capacity of electricity production is nearly 45000 mgwt leaving the consumption at 10000 to 12000 mgwt. Major industries are under closure thus adding 5 to 10 mgwt as surplus to total. 22% out of total production of electricity are either energy losses, technical losses line losses or transmission/ distribution losses; we have to control it for saving the energy. Again different offices and their employees are allowed free electricity which has to be eliminated forthwith to control the total cost and losses of energy.

He said that we have to control the growing circular debt also, which has crossed into billions. There must be an end to cosmetic policies of clearing circular debt payments by parking the liabilities elsewhere.

Copyright Business Recorder, 2023