Articles and letters may be edited for the purposes of clarity and space. They are published in good faith with a view to enlightening all the stakeholders. However, the contents of these writings may not necessarily match the views of the newspaper.
How to reduce electricity bill
With Electricity rates increased by 25% from this month, saving unnecessary consumption is very important to keep the bill in check. Here are a few tips that can significantly reduce your bill without compromising on quality of life
1. Replace your existing ceiling fans with AC/DC fans. They consume just 40-50 Watts compared to existing fans that take 110 to 120 Watts. One fan at current rate adds 2000 to the bill. Changing to AC/DC fan will reduce it by half. With 3 fans you can reduce your bill by Rs 3000 or more.
2. Dont use a water dispenser. They are highly energy inefficient devices and consume Rs 3000 – 4000 per month. Better to put the water in fridge or deep freezer for cooling.
3. Move your fridge from the kitchen to dining or some other room. Kitchen is very hot and the fridge consumes 50% more power for the same cooling in the kitchen versus some other room.
4. Keep your ACs serviced, and the filter clean. Keep the outdoor unit under shade all the time and wash the outdoor coil every 3-4 months. Always keep the fan speed of the AC at maximum for most cooling at lowest cost.
5. Replace all CFLs with LED bulbs and LED tubelights
6. Get your roof painted white
7. Note down peak hour timings (they are 7-11 in June, july, august) and minimize use during these timings.
8. Lahori coolers use a lot of electricity
9. Keep the condenser coils (the black coil at the back) of the fridge and deep freezer clean. You can even wash it (after disconnecting power).
10. Invest in solar- ROI is more than 40% which is better than investing in stocks, savings, plots or cars. Use your spare cash and install a small system to begin with.
You can always add more inverters, batteries, panels later without any issues. Best is to get net metering done. Before you know it, unit rate will be Rs 100 or more.
WALI MUHAMMAD
Via email
Chandy, ex-CM of Kerala
Oommen Chandy who died of cancer on 18 July, was the Chief Minister of Kerala who served as the State’s CM twice from 2004 to 2006 and then again from 2011 to 2016. He was 79 years old. Always among the people, he never wanted to be alone. He was a leader whose compassion went far beyond political lines. He had even helped a student realise his dream by raising funds to build a house of his own. The people of Kerala will miss him.
JUBEL D’CRUZ
Mumbai, India
Lessons in resilience
The COVID-19 pandemic swept across the globe, leaving an unprecedented global health crisis in its wake with far-reaching economic and social consequences. In this turmoil, Pakistan emerged as an inspiring success story, demonstrating remarkable resilience and adaptability in the face of the pandemic. Despite being the world’s fifth most populous country and burdened with a poor health infrastructure, Pakistan defied early predictions of massive devastation. WHO acknowledged Pakistan’s preparedness, including it in a select group of nations offering lessons on handling global pandemics. At the heart of Pakistan’s triumph was the National Command and Operation Centre (NCOC), which facilitated a centralized and coordinated national response. Mandatory screening measures at all entry points were established, effectively limiting the virus’s spread by increasing the number of laboratories for PCR tests from four to an impressive 173.
In a significant achievement, Pakistan demonstrated exceptional success in vaccinating its population, despite not being a vaccine-producing country. Leveraging platforms like COVID-19 Vaccines Global Access and bilateral arrangements, the country efficiently procured vaccines from the global market. Even amid the pandemic’s turmoil, institutions like the University of Veterinary and Animal Sciences (UVAS) Lahore stepped forward to support the nation’s fight against COVID-19. UVAS established a state-of-the-art facility for COVID-19 testing through real-time PCR and conducted preclinical studies to develop an indigenous vaccine, exemplifying the “One Health Concept” and the crucial role that veterinary universities play in human health.
However, despite these accomplishments, challenges remain. Pakistan must focus on bolstering emergency preparedness, vaccine production capabilities, disease surveillance systems, and human resource development in public health. As the world continues to navigate the COVID-19 pandemic and its aftermath, Pakistan’s success serves as a beacon of hope, illustrating the potential for resilience, collaboration, and effective governance.
M WAQAR AZIZ
Lahore
Least priority to technology
Technology is getting more mature with each passing day. The speed of innovations has escalated and the world is witnessing a novel array of issues. While the rest of the world is trying its best to meet the tech industry’s needs and get equipped with each innovation, Pakistan is still at its basic level of adoption. Or Pakistan is still hesitant to go with the flow.
In our educational institutions, rote learning still prevails over the academic teaching method. I, as a Bachelor student at the prestigious Institute of Quaid-e-Azam University, faced this kind of mentality when we were offered a computer skills course. Our instructor focused on telling us theoretical definitions of the basics of computers with not even a single practical class. If the condition of tutoring is so bad in the number one institution of Pakistan, what can we expect from the other institutions?
Pakistan owns a considerable pool of masses looking for opportunities to groom their skills and set new records in the technology field. If Pakistan can become the 4th largest Freelance service provider without government assistance, these numbers would be multiplied many times if the necessary investment is poured into this field.
MUHAMMAD ARQAM
Islamabad
Box letter
Drainage cleanliness
In order to ensure proper drainage during the rainy season, people should take special care of cleanliness. It has been seen in daily life that people do not care about cleanliness and garbage is thrown outside, on the streets and at empty plots. we will have to play our due role in keeping it clean With this we can make Rawalpindi and Pakistan a healthy, clean and prosperous Pakistan. In order to achieve this, Teachers and parents should play their role in training and sensitizing children in the matters of cleanliness and this will be the first step towards reforming the society.
DR ASIF
Rawalpindi
