CO2 Smart Executive Club launched

on 07/02/2019

Governor of Sindh, Imran Ismail launched CO2 Smart Executive Club at NED University as Patron by planting a Neem tree. Converting NED University into a Carbon Neutral Campus, the initiative aims to engage executive leadership for this cause. Dr. Sarosh Hashmat Lodi, Vice Chancellor NED University, Dr. Muhammad Tufail, Pro-Vice Chancellor and Deans also planted trees on the occasion.
The planted trees were geo-tagged and live streaming of CO2 footprint reduction is being projected to a CO2 Smart Website, which was shown to the audience: https://co2smart.neduet.edu.pk/Exec-Club/e¬club.html
The Governor appreciated the initiative of NED University, and indicated that it rhymes with the Prime Minister initiative of Clean and Green Pakistan. He recommended that NED University takes the lead and spreads the activity to other universities, organizations and industries. Dr. Sarosh H. Lodi, Vice-Chancellor NED University thanked the governor for gracing the occasion and accepting to be the patron of the CO2 Smart Executive Club. He also officially presented NED University Carbon Neutral commitment badge to the Chancellor. Dr. Saad Ahmed Qazi, Dean, Faculty of Electrical and Computer Engineeringsaid the university is involving all stakeholders from school children to National leadership to maximize the impact and learning. NED University pledges to become Carbon Neutral by its centennial year 2021.n

Prof BS Chowdhry gracefully retired

on 07/02/2019

A small seed (a boy from the Thar Desert) entered into MUET Garden in 1977. He studied with zeal in this great Institute. He passed out with first class first position in 1983 ( At that time 04 years course used to take 06 years). He joined Alma mater as a Lecturer in March 1983. He got Merit Scholarship/Quaid-e-Azam award to do Ph.D. from England (1984-89). He served for more than 35 years with sincerity and dedication to this great Institution. This great Institution flourished his career. He achieved many milestones, gained respect and tremendous success. He became Meritorious Professor and Distinguished National Professor. He never counted hours. Consciously he never hurt anyone. He never complained about anyone. Everyone remembers him as a role model. He has retired respectfully from this great Institution. His slogan ‘MUET Goes Global’ echoes everywhere. He is a living legend. These words echoed during full reference arranged in the honor of Prof BS Chowdhry by the University administration in Prof Haji Mahmood Senate Hall. As a tradition at Mehran University of Engineering & Technology, Jamshoro, a farewell reference in honor of outgoing Dean Faculty of Electrical, Electronics & Computer Engineering Prof. Dr. Bhawani Shankar Chowdhry was held at MUET, Jamshoro on Monday. The Vice Chancellor Prof. Dr. Mohammad Aslam Uqaili, Pro Vice Chancellor Prof. Dr. Tauha Hussain Ali, Deans of all faculties, Registrar, Director Finance, teaching faculty members and officers of the University attended the ceremony. The Vice Chancellor, MUET, Prof. Dr. Mohammad Aslam Uqaili paid his glowing tributes to Prof. Dr. Bhawani Shankar Chowdhry and said that his services for MUET would be remembered for the years to come. On the occasion, Vice Chancellor Prof. Dr. Mohammad Aslam Uqaili presented a gift of Ajrak and a shield to Prof. Dr. Bhawani Shankar Chowdhry on his meritorious services for the varsity. Expressing his thoughts Prof BS Chowdhry said, my career roadmap and journey at MUET has been fantastic. He mentioned about gratefulness of the University Syndicate for recommending him for the appointment of a Professor Emeritus in recognition of his contribution and services. He said serving MUET for a lifetime will always be very special to him. One of his students expressed his feeling for Professor Chowdhry “Your career is a true example of hard work, grit, and leadership. It is an inspiration for each and every one of us. You and Mehran University (MUET) are made for each other. You are blessing to thousands of Mehranians, whose life is directly or indirectly influenced by your works OR your words”. We also noted comments given by Prof Dr Tariq Banuri, Chairman Higher Education Commission in which he greatly appreciated prof BS Chowdhry ’s valuable services to MUET and to the Nation. n

Export of China’s coal-fired power

on 07/02/2019

China has become a key backer for coal-fired power globally, funding more than a quarter of all new plants being developed outside its borders even as it clamps down on the polluting fuel at home, a study published on Tuesday said.
The top destinations are Bangladesh, Vietnam, South Africa and Pakistan, and about a quarter of the proposed capacity would use technology no longer allowed in China, the report by the Institute for Energy Economics and Financial Analysis (IEEFA), a US-based think tank, said.
China is taking very forceful steps to slow down the increase in coal-fired power facilities in China, but is looking to take that capacity and sell it overseas, said Melissa Brown, IEEFAs energy finance consultant and an author of the report. China, the worlds biggest energy consumer, has been investing heavily in alternative fuels in order to cut its dependence on coal, a major source of smog as well as climate-warming carbon emissions. It has closed down ageing mines and power plants, with the aim of cutting the fuels share of total energy consumption from 69 per cent in 2011 to 58pc by next year. But even as it slashes coal use within its borders, its financial institutions have committed or offered funding of $35.9bn for 102 gigawatts (GW) of coal-fired power now being developed outside the country, the report said. While overseas financial institutions like the World Bank aim to restrict new coal investments, Chinese state-owned enterprises and policy banks are becominglenders of last resortfor coal-fired power, it said. State firms facing caps on coal production and targets to reduce consumption in smog-prone regions have responded by heading overseas. The Xuzhou Mining Group is now running projects in Pakistan and Bangladesh after closing collieries in eastern Chinas Jiangsu province.
China is involved in nearly 14 GW of planned coal-fired capacity in Bangladesh and 13 GW in Vietnam, the report said, adding that 23pc of the 102 GW of China-invested capacity was classified as high-emission subcritical technology no longer in use at home.
Ironically, many of the equipment types would no longer be suitable for use in China, said Brown, noting that many recipient countries have lower environmental standards and are highly motivated to take investment in any form. China brought its total renewable and nuclear generation capacity up to 749 gigawatts last year, raising its share of total power capacity from 34 percent to 40pc in just three years, but Brown said Chinas role in financing coal-fired power could overshadow its clean energy contributions. There are a number of countries that would welcome China as a leading global developer of industrial scale renewables, but what weve seen is that many Chinese companies have essentially exported technology for which there is increasingly no demand in China, she said.- Courtesy Reuters

Islamabad, provinces brace for 9th NFC award

on 07/02/2019

The federal government is bracing for negotiations with the provinces for the distribution of resources in the divisible pool under the new National Finance Commission (NFC). The new award is due since 2015.
The target both sides—the center and the provinces—are eyeing at is to determine a favorable formula for vertical distribution of the pool.
The federal government intended to ask the provinces to give up 7pc of the undivided divisible tax pool so that the development and security expenditure of the erstwhile Federally Administered Tribal Areas (Fata), now part of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Gilgit-Baltistan and Azad Jammu and Kashmir are met. However, the demand faced a stiff reaction leaving the provinces unmoved. The provinces rather look otherwise, an official in Karachi says.
Over a week before the negotiations, Finance Minister Assad Umar attempted to ease out the situation saying the center was not thinking to start negotiations from a fixed position—the posture that PTI’s predecessor had resorted to.
The very first meeting of the reconstituted 9th NFC will be aimed at explaining to the provinces the economic and financial issues confronting the country and trying to build up a consensus on the points that need to be addressed in the next NFC award.
All four provinces have prepared their respective cases for the negotiation process which may be lengthily and painstaking too. A part such process comprises a joint stand from the provinces that they do not lose anything from their share. Meanwhile, they have their individual demands too.
Sindh government has decided in principle that it would demand to reduce the percentage of the distribution of resources on the basis of population. Also, it would push its other demand that the resource generation should be given more weight.
The list also includes permission to the provinces for collecting sales tax, infrastructure development cess, capital gain tax of evacue propery and rylaity on oil and gas.
The 9th NFC has been facing a deadlock over the centre’s demands since July 2015. Because of resistance from the provinces, the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz government thought it better to delay the discussions on the new award until after the election. The Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf recently reconstituted the commission to start negotiations afresh.
The last award, which distributes federal tax resources both vertically between the federation and the federating units and horizontally among the provinces for five years, was signed in December 2009. Effective since 2010-11, the award is often described as historic as it was agreed upon after a lapse of 20 years and drastically increased the combined provincial share from the pool that, under the Constitution, could not be revised down.
In addition, the last award also changed the formula for resource distribution between the provinces and allowed them to collect provincial sales tax on services, which helped Punjab and Sindh to substantially raise their provincial tax revenues.
Some, including the International Monetary Fund (IMF), have repeatedly called for a review of the formula for vertical division of the divisible pool resource, insisting that the reduced federal share from it was one of the major reasons for growing federal fiscal deficit. Critics have suggested that the provinces chip in a substantial amount from their share to fund certain federal functions such as expenditure on development of the ex-Fata districts, GB and AJK as well as on internal security. (By our correcpondent/ERMD)

NESPAK wins Diamer Bhasha Dam assignment

on 17/01/2019

cc
An agreement has been signed between client WAPDA and NESPAK for providing engineering consultancy services.
NESPAK’s scope of services includes the review of evaluation of prequalification of applications submitted by contractors, review of bidding documents and evaluation of bids for contract MW1 (civil works).
Under the agreement, the Consultants shall commence the services within one week after the date of signing of the contract agreement and the period of completion of services is six months from the commencement date of services.
Diamer Bhasha Dam is proposed on the Indus River. The site is 315km upstream of Tarbela Dam Project. The detailed engineering design, environmental management, and resettlement Management plans were completed in 2008 by Diamer Bhasha Dam Consultants (DBC).
NESPAK enjoys the distinction of being the only consulting firm in Pakistan to have successfully undertaken the largest number of dam and hydropower projects in Pakistan and 12 other countries in the Middle East and Africa. It has so far carried out a total of 207 dam and hydropower projects. Raising of Mangla Dam Project, Mirani Dam, Sabakzai Dam, Attabad Landslide Dam Lake, 12 Dams in FATA, 969 MW Neelum-Jhelum Hydroelectric Project, 1450MW Ghazi Barotha Hydropower Project, Tarbela Hydropower Project, Wadi Dayqah Dam Oman, Raising of Wala Dam, Jordan, Bakhshabad Dam in Afghanistan, Dams in Southern and Western Region, Saudi Arabia, Obudu Dam Rehabilitation Works, Nigeria, Baardheere Dam in Somalia, Kalaghan Dam in Iran are few examples of NESPAK’s outclass performances. — PR