The New Nation - Internet Edition

ENERGY reporters at a seminar at the Jatiya Press Club the other day sought to sensitise the potential policy makers of the country to the very pressing need of increasing energy supply in the backdrop of energy starved conditions in the country. Civil society organisations are expected to continue to put pressure on the major political parties to be committed to addressing the very worse energy supply conditions. The leader of a major political party who was present in the seminar aired his party's plan to produce some 5,000 mw of power or 1,000 mw on an annual basis if they win the election.

Representatives of other political parties should also have come up with similar pledges. It is high time that the seriousness of the issue is reflected in the election manifestoes of the political parties. The apex chamber body in the country, FBCCI, at a recent seminar told the political parties that they should agree on some rules to be observed before the election to remain true to them after the election, such as agreeing to give up hartal, not to boycott parliament. The political parties should also be told that they must address the energy issue on a war footing.

The aim should be to imprint the message firmly in the minds of the top leadership of the parties that they should go to work to increase energy supply right from their first day in office-- if they go to power. If this is done, they would be under a greater compulsion to work more dedicatedly to address the energy problems. The economy faces a grim situation from the worsening problems of energy supply which must be improved.