The New Nation - Internet Edition

MEDIA reports suggest that there is a mismatch between production of power and its demand. There is also another very significant side which receives little focus - the waste of power when there should be greater and strict measures against the same. Electricity is wasted due to carelessness of the managers of street lights. Recently, cable television showed how the lights were on at noon in the Jatiya Sangsad area. This phenomenon may be noted in some places of the city every day. Neon signs and large advertisement devices consume substantial amount of power and can be switched off for certain hours to save power for use in peak demand hours.

But it is never done. The government could also appeal to the good sense of people to switch off electric bulbs and other electrical gadgets including air conditioners without suffering any loss. The use of power saving bulbs and other devices should be increased. From regular and motivational publicities to this end, people would also probably feel good about doing something on their own to help the nation. But this sort of motivation of people for power conservation is absent.

The government has advanced the clock. Usefulness of the measure to conserve power remains to be evaluated. The clock has been advanced to facilitate the completion of most works in the daylight hours to conserve electricity for use at night. Notwithstanding the contention that the move has led to conservation of 300mw of electricity leading to less load shedding, consumers say that load shedding has rather increased in some areas after advancing the clock. So, the government is expected to take more realistic steps by appealing to people's good sense and, thus, for getting their sincere cooperation in this regard.