The Sindh Assembly on Monday asked the federal government to reschedule power load shedding hours with ensuring provision of improved supplies to meet the province electricity needs to continue its economic activities on an hourly basis. Lawmakers across the house expressed concerned over federal government's announcement to switch off power for about 22 hours a day throughout rural Sindh, and termed the proposed move as 'injustice' to the public.
Lawmaker of the ruling PPP, Dr Sohrab Khan Sarki tabled the resolution, which PML-F-an opposition party also supported reading it out in the house to ask the federal water and power ministry to announce fresh electricity load shedding schedule for the province with an assurance on lower outages.
They were of the view that the frequent and prolonged power cuts hit the agriculture activities in the rural parts of the province, besides scalding down the economic activities. The federal government should supply power to the province according to its needs to protect its economy, they added.
Moreover, Sindh Transport Minister, Mumtaz Hussain Jakhrani told the house that the government was chalking out a bill to ban installation of substandard CNG cylinders in public transport. A draft will soon be tabled in the house to approve the ban, he said. His reply came to address the concern of an opposition lady lawmaker, Nusrat Sehar Abbasi who feared the continuing explosion of CNG cylinders at public transport killing and injuring passengers on a daily basis in the province. She sought the government's action to dismantle substandard cylinders from public transport.
The transport minister said that his department had just attained the powers to examine the motor vehicles and certify their fitness as traffic police had previously been exercising the job. He also told the house that the government was also planning to outsource the examination of CNG cylinders installed in motor vehicles to reduce fatal explosion from substandard mechanical devices.
With a view to rejuvenate dead water provision schemes across the province, Sindh Information Minister, Sharjeel Inam Memon said the government had earmarked a Rs 1 billion budget. From 2008 to 2012, he told the house that the government had finished off 168 out of 235 approved water schemes. The incompletion of the rest of schemes was lack of funds, he said, adding that the government would resume work on all water projects this year.
The house also introduced the 'Sindh Commission on The Status of Women's bill 2015 to set up commission to help empower women and take steps to protect their rights. The proposed commission will be autonomous financially and administratively. The house will meet today (Tuesday) morning.