Islamabad
The Senate Standing Committee on Power met today under the Chairmanship of Senator Saifullah Abro here at the Old PIPs Hall Parliament Lodges.
At the outset of the meeting Senator Bahramand Khan Tangi appreciated the role of the Ministry of Energy (Power Division) for recovery of Rs. 25 bn in electricity theft and illegal kunda connections.
He further said that there are certain gaps and deficiencies which needs to be addressed. Senator Bahramand Khan Tangi raised the issue of increased load shedding even after 100 pc recovery from the district Tangi.
The Power Division apprised the Committee that the legal frame work has also been improvised through an Ordinance which will improve the legal position. The Ministry further apprised that tomorrow the Mardan Model for “zero theft zero load shedding” is being inaugurated and invited the Members of the Committee to attend and take briefing on the new model.
Senator Tangi suggested Power Division to hold meetings with the local Police and the Judiciary for a strengthening collaboration in this regard.
While taking briefing by MD, NESPAK on ADB project ACSR Bunting Conductor LoT -II A, the Chairman Committee raised objection and said that in the previous meeting the committee recommended to share the entire correspondence of the project with NTDC & ADB, to which the Committee was apprised that a fire incident in September, 2017 took place and all files / record of EDB have been burnt to which the Committee expressed utter suspicion and recommended Power Division to constitute a Ministerial Committee and appoint an officer not less than DS level for further investigation of the project.
The Committee recommended NESPAK to re-evaluate the tender process of ACSR Bunting Conductor and bring clarity within 2 weeks’ time.
The matter of implementation of committee’s recommendation to produce the recording of the Procurement Committee, NTDC in the case of mis-procurement of 765kV double circuit transmission line from Dasu Hydro Power Station to Islamabad, the ministry informed that the audio-recording of the Procurement Committee meeting could not be obtained as Chairman, Board NTDC has resigned and Members of the BoD, NTDC have advised Company Secretary, NTDC to take legal opinion on it.
It was further told that a report prepared by the Board, NTDC was also presented which stated that a few errors and discrepancies are found in the project, however, they are not enough to declare the entire tender process as a mis procurement.
The meeting was attended by senators Fida Muhammad, Dilawar Khan, Saifullah Sarwar Khan Nyazee, Haji Hidayatullah khan and Bahramanad Khan Tangi. Officials from the concerned departments were in attendance.
