RAWALPINDI: In a significant move, solar panels are set to be installed in Adiala Central Prison Rawalpindi and 22 other jails across Punjab.
According to sources, the objective of this initiative is to effectively reduce electricity consumption expenses.
Recently, Punjab Prisons Inspector General Mian Farooq Nazir met with Abdul Rahman, the managing director of the Punjab Energy Department, to discuss the installation of solar panels in various jails across the province.
The collaboration aims to provide affordable electricity through the utilization of solar energy.
According to insider information, the project is scheduled to commence in July 2023 and will cover 22 jails, including Central Jail Lahore, Central Jail Multan, Central Jail Bahawalpur, and the high-security prison in Sahiwal.
The installation process is expected to be completed within six months while the project cost will be funded through the annual development program of the energy department.
Upon completion, the electricity tariff is anticipated to decrease significantly from Rs. 32 per unit to Rs. 13 per unit, resulting in substantial savings of Rs19 per unit.
This reduction in electricity expenses will have a notable impact on the overall expenditure incurred by the jails, which currently amounts to approximately Rs. 2 billion.
Besides, the initiative is estimated to curtail these expenses by around Rs. 1 billion, allowing for the recovery of project costs within two years.
Source: Tribune
