Over Rs20m power saving project installed at LGH

LAHORE:Punjab Minister for Energy Dr Akhtar Malik inaugurated completed Naya Punjab Retrofitting Project in Lahore General Hospital (LGH) here Tuesday.

“The project cost is Rs20.622 million and it will save annual electricity of worth Rs17.04 million. Around 5,061 lights and 1,305 fans have been retrofitted with energy efficient appliances,” the minister said while inaugurating the Electricity Saving Programme at the hospital.

Speaking on the occasion, Dr Akhtar Malik said that there were over 95,000 public connections and the Punjab government was paying a whopping Rs37 billion as electricity bill. He said his target was to convert all public sector connections to solar to lower the financial burden on public exchequer. Dr Akhtar said that in the first phase Retrofitting of Islamia University Bahawalpur, Nishtar Hospital, Multan, Government College University Lahore and General Hospital was completed. He lauded the efforts of Secretary Energy Aamir Jan and MD Punjab Energy Efficiency and Conservation Agency Adnan Mudassar to complete the projects on time. Saying that the fruits of public welfare schemes have started reaching people in Naya Pakistan, Punjab Energy Minister Dr Akhtar said that electrical fans and lights are being replaced by using modern technology to overcome the power crisis in the country.

Earlier, PGMI Principal Prof Dr Al-freed Zafar briefed to the minister a large number of fans and lights have been replaced and converted to energy saving. This step will save 700 units per hour and reduction of Rs 11 crore per annum in electricity bills and this huge amount will be spent on treatment and hospitalisation of patients, he said.

projects: Punjab Finance Minister Makhdoom Hashim Jawan Bakht Tuesday visited Rahim Yar Khan where he inaugurated various projects in Mianwali Qureshian, Zahir Pir and Tehsil Khanpur besides reviewed the progress in ongoing projects. Laying the foundation stone of the plan for upgradation of Rural Health Centre in Mianwali Qureshian, the provincial minister said that facilities at Tehsil Headquarters Hospital would be provided in the Rural Health Centre. It will cost more than Rs300 million. Later, the minister left from Mianwali Qureshian for Zahir Pir where he inaugurated the newly-constructed Rescue 1122 station and sewerage in the area. The provincial minister also announced the establishment of a surgical tower at Shaikh Zayed Hospital and Medical College and the establishment of a modern trauma centre under the Habilitation and Scope programme in the area.

In Khanpur, the minister reviewed the ongoing and completed projects costing Rs700 million. Expressing dissatisfaction over the pace of work on the project of Cadet College which is under construction at a cost of Rs630 million in Khanpur, the provincial minister directed the administration to ensure the commencement of classes in the college the same year. The provincial minister also reviewed the progress on Altaf Eye Hospital in Khanpur.