Ineffective directives
An interesting front page article on the matter published on 19th July rightly stated that BERC only passes time by issuing ineffective circulars, wasting public time and money! In effect, it is not worth the paper in which it is written! Mere circulars cannot regulate the minimum temperature at which an air conditioner can be set! Better would be to install sealed thermostatic limit-switches, set at the minimum temperature desired. One wonders if BERC has the technical and organisational capability to do it.
It was stated that all air-conditioners should be set at 25deg.C, during off-peak hours. What will be the setting at peak hours? Or is running of ACs totally banned during maximum demand period of 6:00pm. to 10:00pm?
The fact of life is that most of our power generating equipment is so worn out and unreliable and inefficient. These have not been properly maintained, because of lack of spare capacity to take generating sets off-line for proper maintenance and overhaul. Further, quite a number of plants are so old, that spares and components for these equipment are no longer manufactured and available.
Recalling the grand days of the BNP, they were very busy procuring 'Khambas' I (Electric poles), which to them had top-most priority based on good 'under-table' percentages! Their next effort was to rationalise and set agreed pre-bid 'goodies' for power plant projects! Unfortunately, their time ran out and the 'ungrateful' voters did not put them back in power!
This robbed them of the proverbial 'Goose' that was to lay 'golden eggs' for them!
Today our priority has to be power generation and not rationing. Why does not the BERC identify and label energy efficient consumer goods like air conditioners, refrigerators, electrical fans, industrial drive motors and even cars, buses and trucks and such equipment; to ensure energy conservation by using only energy efficient products. Again, do they have the technical capability to get this done; so that import of energy inefficient models of electrical goods are penalised with higher duties and taxes when imported.
Even "poor" USA has this criteria applied on all purchase of electrical goods and gadgets for the US government! Can we not adopt, and if need be, copy their benchmarks. I am sure they will not deny this if we ask for it. They may even set up procedures (mostly standardised usage) for carrying out this worth while protocol, which can help us save waste of energy in future. In the national interest, if necessary, I can help to start it up with cooperation of BUET and set the ball rolling!
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