Ban on air conditioners
This issue was reported in all dailies on March 31. However, it raises an interesting fundamental question. Who and how will the ban be manned for enforcement? Without strict and effective follow-up on compliance and enforcement, the measure is bound to fail!
To begin with, the central AC of the Sangsad Bhaban, the Hon. PM's and the residence of the ministers and MPs and the MP hostel should set the example. Your reporters may follow it up, and report on the effectiveness of compliance by the people who have issued this important directive. Then you should follow it up, for the residences of the secretaries to the government, and top government and public sector officials and the heads of the three armed services and publicly report on their compliance with the rules. After all the press is the watchdog; the necessary eyes and ears of the public, to monitor the doings of our top officials!!
It will possibly be easier to monitor this in shops, markets, shopping malls and hospitality centres, where public and private social and other functions are held. The best punishment for those who violate is that their electric supply will be cut, and will only be restored after paying a fine, which needs to be spelled out, plus the usual re-connection charges!
This measure can be adopted, but in my opinion, in Dhaka, it will reduce the load by at most around 100 to 150MW. If it is strictly adopted all over Bangladesh, the saving in power consumption may be no more than 200 to 250MW. How much it will help, is another matter, as the usual shortage during peak demand period is at the least around 1500MW all over the country, and around 800MW at least in Dhaka! The exact figures are however any one's guess!
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