Energy Crisis: Shutting diesel-run plants won’t do much
A top energy expert has expressed doubt over whether the government's actions to solve the energy crisis will bear much fruit, and said people with lower incomes will be hit harder by measures such as load shedding.
While speaking to The Daily Star yesterday, Prof M Shamsul Alam, Consumer Association of Bangladesh's (CAB's) adviser and energy expert, was also unsure whether temporarily shutting down diesel-fired power plants would have much impact on saving fuel.
"The diesel-run power plants are being shut down to save expenditure. However, whenever there will be load shedding, use of generators will increase. As a result, energy consumption will increase, too.
"The government cannot or will not control this. The rich people and government officials will save themselves from load shedding by using generators and Instant Power Suppliers (IPSs).
"Ultimately, the brunt of load shedding will be borne by people with low-income levels. They will endure this pressure. In a nutshell, 70 to 80 percent of the country's population will suffer."
He said the energy secretary's talk about ensuring balance through load shedding was nothing but idealistic talk.
"As there is a raw material crisis, it is expected that less electricity will be produced and subsequently, the consumers will also receive less. But those with lower incomes will suffer the inconveniences attached with this crisis more, and they will have to pay a higher price, too. This is unjust, and that is why I do not believe the decisions taken by the government will be able to bring any positive outcome," added Alam.
He mentioned that it was not possible to preserve energy by keeping petrol pumps closed one day a week -- another step under the government's consideration.
"In order to achieve real results, the system needs to change. Strict restrictions need to be enforced for the usage of personal vehicles. Implementing that is not a very difficult task for the state. The government officials will use public transport instead of government vehicles.
"If the energy adviser, along with other ministers and secretaries, call a press conference and announce that they will start using public transport, that will instantly save half the total energy expenditure. But no, they will keep enjoying every kind of perk. They won't let load shedding affect them. We cannot possibly hope that whatever they say and implement will solve all our problems.
"If, today, the energy adviser or any of the top officials of the government said their houses too would experience load shedding for two hours a day, the general population would have rallied behind the cause wholeheartedly and enthusiastically. However, they haven't done that. That kind of love for the motherland, compassion towards the general population has never been expressed by them," added M Shamsul Alam.
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