Staff Reporter :
Against the needful demands of electricity across the country, the government has been struggling to execute the load shedding as much as necessary in view of deficiency in production.
With the rising consumption of electricity, the government has already taken a number of austerity measures and has been mulling over other steps in the days ahead.
As part of saving power, the government on Thursday announced a fresh holiday staggering plan for area-based industries across the country to minimise consumption of electricity and gas.
Under this plan, industries in different pockets of the country will remain closed one day a week, while other areas will remain open.
Power Division sources said that the new rationing system will help save some 500-550MW of electricity.
Earlier on April 12, the government imposed a four-hour gas rationing for industries from 5pm to 9pm daily to save natural gas.
But against the vehement protest from the business community, the government retreated from its position after 10 days of rationing gas.
Amid this acute crisis of gas and electricity, the State Minister for Power and Energy Nasrul Hamid said that the nationwide load-shedding would ease in September and people will get rid thereof from October.
Meanwhile, Education Minister Dr Dipu Moni on Friday said that the government is mulling over for the extension of the weekends for two days in all the educational institutions in a bid to save electricity.
“We are thinking to introduce a two-day weekly holidays in all educational institutions to save electricity. No decision has been taken yet. But the decision will be informed soon,” she said in an event in the capital.
She also said that earlier it was announced that a two-day weekly holidays will be introduced from next year according to the new curriculum.
“Now the government is brooding over whether it will be introduced soon to save electricity,” she continued.
However, some of the teachers said if the educational institutions are closed for two days in a week it would be difficult for them to complete the course in time because the syllabus is huge.
They said that the schools remains closed for various religious and national
festivals. Besides, public examinations compel many schools to remain shut.
Apart from this, every year many of the schools are forced to close due to natural calamities like floods, they said. Meanwhile, the government earlier issued circular asking all the educational institutions to take a number of measures including using daylights, keeping air conditioners above 25 degrees Celsius and holding meetings on online platform.
Under the austerity measures, the government has ordered the market and shopping malls to shut down at 8pm. Even the electricity distribution companies have been directing the authorities of the commercial buildings to reduce the use of bulbs, elevators, illuminations and so on to save power amid the crisis.
The government announced for one hour area-based load shedding from July 19, but the situation is degrading every day. The load shedding schedule is not followed in most of the areas for which the situation is worsening and affecting the lives and incomes of the people.
