High potential: Balochistan energy resources waiting to be exploited

Balochistan is blessed with seven wind corridors suitable for wind farms. Some of these corridors are at least 50% better and more efficient compared to that of Gharo in Sindh. DESIGN: TALHA AHMED

KARACHI: 

The year is July 1982 in Shahee Tump, Turbat, Makran. Temperature soars to near 50 degrees during daytime with a slight relief after sunset. The night is engulfed in darkness or illuminated in case of a full moon.

Else, a lovely sight of the galaxy where each of the stars is visible against a pitch-dark background. Beds are thrown around in an open courtyard and the occupants are ready to have a fight with mosquitoes until the night ends. Shoes are kept under the beds else they can be torn apart by stray dogs.

Makran gradually gets some relief from a 17.5-megawatt power plant donated by a foreign donor. The plant has a short life and brings huge benefits to a local businessman who has been given the transport contract for fuel supply from PSO depots in Karachi. The transporter sells the fuel in Karachi pocketing the transport cost paid by PSO and supplies the power plant with inferior quality fuel from Iran.

Soon, the engines conk out and the units are gradually cannibalised to make one 4.5MW unit functional until 1993 after which all the generators are dead and now turned into scrap. Panjgur Power Plant having 25+12MW can be an alternative source, in case of load-shedding by Iran or to meet power shortage in the near future.

Some relief comes to the Makran Division after Iran’s 35MW supply is commissioned. The main 132kv, 756km transmission line from Iran connects Mand, Tump, Turbat, Hoshab, Panjgur, Pasni and Gwadar.

Another plan is on the anvil for supply of 100MW by Iran through Polan-Gwadar transmission line provided Pakistan does not succumb to the pressure from the Americans.

For the rest of the province of Balochistan, there is a shortage of about 800MW. Supplies come from various transmission lines from Guddu, etc. Increase in supply to Quetta unfortunately will not help as most of the existing grid stations are already overloaded and heavy load-shedding will continue. Until such time all the grid systems are revamped, no positive change can be expected.

Furthermore, it is difficult to understand how the already inaugurated six units of 600MW each of coal-based power plants at Gadani will help Balochistan as there is no transmission network that connects the remaining province. These power plants are based on 100% imported coal. Some relief could only be possible if a blend of imported and local coal is consumed as fuel.

Renewable energy

As per the 18th Amendment of the Constitution, renewable energy comes under the purview of provinces, but tariff rates are set by Nepra/federal government and the beneficiary of revenue is Wapda, again the federal government. It is difficult to understand how this system will work and how it is going to benefit the province in terms of revenue generation.

Balochistan is blessed with seven wind corridors suitable for wind farms. Some of these corridors are at least 50% better and more efficient compared to that of Gharo in Sindh. The main points are Nokundi, Hoshab, north of Panjgur, Mastung, Dasht near Quetta and Zhob.

These are high potential points where the Balochistan government should put up wind masts and invite potential investors to set up wind farms. The province should make efforts to establish the potential of the geo-thermal source west of Koh Sultan in Chagai District. Renewable energy could be a solution to curtailing transmission losses.

The northern belt of Balochistan from Taftan to Zhob and Kharan, Basema touching Surab is highly suitable for installation of solar power or solar thermal power systems. There are potential sources of geo-thermal energy north of Nokundi and west of Koh Sultan.

There is a point where steam oozes out of the ground randomly from different spots throwing the heated water 15-20’’ up in the air. This needs some drilling and detailed study to ascertain the potential for power generation.  This can be a source of cheapest energy.

At Mashkichah – mashk means water container made of goat skin and chah means well – north of Nokundi, rests a structure on a hillock. This structure is a primitive Vertical Axis Wind Turbine (VAWT) that was used for grinding grain. VAWTs were invented and first used in Iran/Persia about 2,000 years ago. It’s amazing how those people in the primitive days chose this spot for VAWT at Mashkichah as the location falls within the Nokundi wind corridor.

Balochistan is blessed with the resources that can help ease energy shortage substantially through renewable energy provided timely and necessary steps are taken to exploit these resources to the benefit of the province and the country.

The writer is the former project director and deputy managing director of Saindak Copper Gold Project, Chagai district, Balochistan

Loose vs UHT milk: Processed milk still has a minuscule market share

If pasteurised and powdered milk are added, the percentage level for processed milk edges up to 4%. Still 96% of the market is held by loose milk. PHOTO: FILE

LAHORE: 

The urban areas in Pakistan are going through a transition phase with growing migration of people to big cities as they seek a high standard of living.

As far as lifestyle is concerned, a majority of urban population is following global trends, but in case of nutrition values, most of them still pursue what their forefathers did, market players say.

The ever green product for them is milk, preferably loose milk, which is the basic need of every household. However, these days many conscious consumers are getting uneasy with loose milk, the reason being its quality.

Adulteration in loose milk has forced many to gradually shift to Ultra High Temperature (UHT) milk. Most recently, the consumers are opting for pasteurised milk, which is rapidly getting popular because of its freshness and taste, which though is not equal to, but is relatively close to loose milk, according to the market players.

To grab this opportunity, Nestle Pakistan, a global food giant, has kicked off a campaign called Safe Milk Movement. Other companies are also striving to increase market share of their UHT  processed milk, which accounts for hardly 3% of the milk consumed in Pakistan.

If pasteurised and powdered milk are added, the percentage level edges up to 4%. Still 96% of the market is held by loose milk.

“The level of contamination in loose milk is touching dangerous levels, it is the need of the hour to educate people about hazards of consuming loose milk,” says Dr Faqir Anjum, Professor of Food and Sciences, Government College Faisalabad while talking to The Express Tribune.

For this reason, Anjum’s department has joined hands with the Punjab Food Authority to launch an awareness drive to educate people about risks of consuming loose milk, which is said to have been banned by western countries.

“Even in India, some states have banned loose milk and only UHT processed and pasteurised milk is available in markets,” Anjum claims.

In Pakistan, the fifth largest milk producing country, people need to be told the benefits of UHT processed and pasteurised milk, as they directly link the awareness efforts with interests of the processed milk industry, he adds.

Sold openly, directly from the source, without processing, pasteurisation and protection from sunlight and wind, loose milk is considered fresh and natural. However, it contains bacteria due to unhygienic farming and milking conditions.

Apart from this, adulteration in loose milk has been going on without any check with dairy experts pointing out that the oldest and simplest method is to dilute it with water. In order to ensure that the milk’s appearance doesn’t change, milkmen (gawalas) add starch, flour, urea, vegetable oil, etc.

The simplest solution to this problem, according to Anjum and other dairy experts associated with production of UHT processed and pasteurised milk, is to pasteurise milk, which destroys pathogenic bacteria, present in raw milk.

Shelf life of loose milk is around four hours. However, in UHT processed process through ultra-pasteurisation, the shelf life gets longer without adding preservatives through boiling at 135-150 degree centigrade for two to four seconds.

UHT processed milk involves superheating it for a few seconds before cooling it. Pasteurised milk’s shelf life runs from 5 to 15 days, if refrigerated properly during transportation and distribution.

On the other hand, the shelf life of UHT processed milk is between three and six months and it doesn’t need refrigeration, however, it needs to be kept in refrigerator and consumed within three days after unsealing the Tetra Pak container.

Arsenal and Manchester City pay price for not winning their Champions League group

Manuel Pellegrini's side were paired with Barcelona and Arsene Wenger's men face Bayern Munich, but both clubs will feel the tough last-16 ties were avoidable

COMMENT
By Kris Voakes | International Football Correspondent

There are major losers in most Champions League draws, but not always do they come from the same part of the world. And while one of them sit top of the Premier League this morning and the other can boast a 6-3 weekend win over the same side, both Arsenal and Manchester City will be thinking about what might have been after the last-16 pairings were unveiled in Nyon on Monday.

Manuel Pellegrini will not be convinced that Barcelona respresent the toughest draw his team could have been handed, but the Manchester City boss will still have a huge job on his hands to ensure that they're back in Nyon for the quarter-final draw in March.

The Catalan giants are not the frightening proposition they were three seasons ago, with their suspect defence being highlighted widely as the way in for opponents looking for an opening, but they remain a tough prospect for a City side playing in the knockout stages of the Champions League for the first time ever.

ROUND OF 16 DRAW
Manchester City Olympiakos Milan Bayer Leverkusen Galatasaray Schalke Zenit Arsenal	v v v v v v v v	Barcelona Manchester United Atletico PSG Chelsea Real Madrid Dortmund Bayern

Having come within one goal of toppling Bayern Munich to win Group D, the Citizens may be left kicking themselves for their inability to ensure an easier path. The visit of Lionel Messi, Neymar et al will represent the Etihad Stadium's greatest ever occasion to date, but will also be the biggest test of what this City side is capable of.

Arsenal, meanwhile, got the toughest draw of the lot, with Bayern set to visit the Emirates Stadium just as they did in 2012-13.

Arsene Wenger will tell his side that last season's second-leg win in Munich proves that they have the measure of the European champions. He'll also point to FC Hollywood's loss to Manchester City last week as further evidence that Pep Guardiola's men can be overturned. But in reality, he would have rather seen any other name come out alongside that of the Gunners.

Like City, the Premier League leaders could have won their group. In fact, they should have won it. Group F may well have been this season's 'Group of Death', but having got themselves into a great position ahead of matchday six, they have ultimately paid the price for not finishing the job off in Naples.

Pep's Bayern look more likely than any side ever has to becoming the Champions League's first back-to-back winners. Two meaningless defeats to City and Arsenal, plus a Superpokal loss to Borussia Dortmund, represent their only defeats of 2013. And given the way they are playing under the former Barca boss, there might not be too many more losses on the cards in 2014.

Arsenal's 6-3 loss at the Etihad on Saturday gave clarity to the argument that Wenger's side can be overcome by a fast, penetrative opponent who put the emphasis on the Gunners' defensive third, and Bayern will look to do exactly the same come February.

If only they, like City, had taken the chance they had and topped their group, they might be relishing what lies ahead, instead of looking fearful.

Ginning industry: Policy options for efficiency improvement

Pakistan is the fourth largest producer of cotton after China, India and the United States and has about 8.7% share in world’s cotton production. PHOTO: FILE

FAISALABAD: Agriculture is the most important sector of Pakistan as it provides raw material to the industry and contributes 21.4% to the GDP. It employs 45% of the labour force and is the most important source of foreign exchange earnings.

Pakistan is the fourth largest producer of cotton after China, India and the United States and has about 8.7% share in world’s cotton production.

The ginning industry is considered to be the backbone of the textile sector and plays a significant role in the economy. Though Pakistan produces best quality cotton, but ginning factories get poor quality and contaminated cotton due to poor transportation and storage facilities and unskilled handling and harvesting.

Cotton ginning is a process of separating cotton seed from lint for further processing in textile industries. Cotton ginning is the weakest link in the textile chain.

In the ginning process, fibre normally constitutes 33%, seed 59% and trash 8% of the cotton produced. This level of trash is high compared to other countries, causing a huge loss to ginners.

The ginning industry is not working at its full potential, underlining the need for improvement. Though it has a small share of 4.6% in the textile chain, it is the first step in value addition and the entire chain depends on growth of this industry.

Ginners use obsolete technology, old machinery and untrained labour force, resulting in low profitability and efficiency.

In the post-production stage, the industry does not have proper marketing skills to encourage local and international consumers to be able to get a fair price. Absence of government support price, high inflation and associated factors have an undesirable impact on fair returns.

Lack of application of standards and ginning practices as well as poor management also dog the industry. Ginners, who have no role in the price-setting mechanism, face some major problems in getting a fair price.

First, the government announces minimum price for cotton which ginners have to pay to the farmers. But ginners are not guaranteed any minimum price when they sell their product to textile mills or brokers.

Second, there is no assurance of discount on poor quality from the government and no premium for high quality. Mostly, ginners are at the mercy of brokers to sell their product who easily exploit the former.

According to government data, 75% of ginning factories are in Punjab and 22% in Sindh. The total number of ginning units is around 1,221 with an installed capacity of 36 million bales of cotton on a three-shift basis.

The ginning season runs for 100 to 120 days. A large ginning factory produces nearly 10,000 bales per season whereas a small one produces 5,000 bales.

Pakistan’s economic advancement and expansion of the textile sector depend on growth of the ginning industry. In the last few years, some ginning units have stopped working because they could not meet international standards and no efforts have been made to address their problems.

In order to utilise the idle capacity in ginneries, it is necessary to improve the condition of cotton producers. A reduction in production cost and an increase in input support could help the producers increase output, which would in turn bring about revival in the ginning sector.

For adopting modern technology, necessary steps must be taken to support ginneries in shifting from old roller-type machines to saw-gin system.  Owners of ginneries, who have got higher education, are found to be more efficient compared to those who have less education. Hence, the government and policymakers should start some training programmes for efficiency improvement.

Another major reason of low output of the ginning industry is the energy crisis. Alternative energy sources like generators lead to a three-time rise in energy cost.

Sneijder: No reason to leave Galatasaray

The Dutchman says he is eagerly waiting for the end of the January transfer window so that the speculation concerning his future dies down

Galatasaray playmaker Wesley Sneijder has insisted that he sees no reason to leave the club, despite rumoured interest from the Premier League.

Manchester United have been linked with a January move for the Dutchman, who moved to Istanbul from Inter midway through last season.

However, Sneijder insists that he is happy with life at Galatasaray and is enjoying playing for the Turkish champions.

"You would know better than me if I received any offers. Up to now there are no offers," he told Beyaz TV.

"There are rumours about me in every transfer window. I look forward to the end of transfer windows so people stop taking about me. I'm very happy here with the team and the fans and I have no reason to leave. 

"This type of news always happens. You just need to wait until the end of the window."

The 29-year-old went on to voice his confidence that his side can overcome Chelsea in the last 16 of the Champions League if they put in a big performance.

"There'll be two good games," he said. "We deserve to be where we are in Europe. This success is very important for the club, the supporters and the team. 

"Now we want to go even further. We really have to believe in ourselves to get to the quarter-finals. If we are all focused, we have a real chance."

Legendary coach Fatih Terim left the club earlier this season after a boardroom bust-up and Sneijder says he has become used to touchline changes.

"It's always difficult when a coach leaves the club. This happened suddenly, it was very emotional. I've been a professional footballer for 11 year. It's difficult, emotional, but normal in the world of football."

Chinese users welcome Apple, China Mobile deal

Apple's iPhone 5Cs phones are displayed on racks bearing the logo of China Mobile, at a mobile phone shop in Beijing. PHOTO: REUTERS/FILE

BEIJING: Chinese users welcomed a long-awaited tie-up between Apple and China Mobile, the world’s biggest wireless operator, but analysts warned on Monday that the deal’s impact depends on the quality of the carrier’s 4G network.

The US technology giant and China Mobile on Sunday unveiled the agreement to bring the iPhone to customers on a network with an estimated 760 million subscribers which until now were dominated by low-cost Android smartphones.

The US company’s iPhone 5s and iPhone 5c phones will be available at China Mobile and Apple retail stores across mainland China starting January 17, they said in a joint statement.

“It finally comes – I’ve been waiting for so long that I’m exhausted,” a user with the online handle Gluttonous Miser posted on Sina Weibo, a Chinese equivalent of Twitter.

Apple iPhones can currently be used on China Mobile’s 2G network but not on its higher-speed 3G network due to a home-grown standard the carrier has adopted.

While users were generally upbeat, some raised concerns about the cost of the devices to be offered by China Mobile.

“Come on, the price must not let us down, it has to be encouraging, better not to go over 4,000 yuan ($660),” wrote another user.

The unsubsidised price of the iPhone 5c, a model with a slightly reduced cost to appeal to budget-conscious consumers and available in a range of colours, is $550 in the United States but higher in other countries, often due to tax and regulatory issues.

In China the 5c currently sells at more than $700, and the 5s goes for $870 on Apple’s official China site. Apple and China Mobile said that pricing details under the new deal will be announced at a later date.

However, analyst Ben Bajarin at Creative Strategies said he expects “some kind of subsidy” for the iPhone in China.

“Carriers know the iPhone is the best smartphone on the market at helping them sell premium services. This is why it will always be relevant,” he said in a tweet.

Negotiations between Apple and China Mobile took years, with one key hurdle reportedly being the US company’s demand for sales volume guarantees.

The deal gives Apple a bigger entry into the huge Chinese market, as the company is facing declining market share and seeking to counter the flood of low-cost smartphones from rivals.

Even though iPhone sales grew 25.6 percent in the third quarter from a year earlier, growth was slower than the overall market and Apple’s market share fell to 12.9 percent from 14.4 percent in the same period last year, according to a survey by market intelligence firm IDC.

But analysts said that the immediate benefit from the partnership will be limited given that many of China Mobile’s customers are already using iPhones, lessening the prospect of a sharp boost to sales.

They said the main rationale for the deal was likely both companies’ strategy in the 4G era, which will allow users to – among other things – watch movies and play games on mobile networks at a much faster speed and in better quality.

In the statement, Apple and China Mobile said the iPhone 5s and iPhone 5c “both offer more 4G LTE bands than any other smartphone in the world.”

“The collaboration between Apple and China Mobile will give a big boost to the development of China’s homegrown 4G/TD-LTE technology,” it said.

China granted three state-owned operators licenses early this month to offer services on the new network, and China Mobile is rolling out the world’s biggest 4G network.

“If (China Mobile’s) 4G network comes online (with good quality), the impact will be rather big,” Xu Zhipeng, a Beijing-based analyst with research firm Zero2ipo Group, said in a statement .

However, given the operator’s problem-prone 3G network, it will take time for Chinese users to build up confidence and accept the new network, he said.

“Customers may take a wait-and-see attitude towards its 4G network and will not rush to (grab an iPhone) as its price is rather high,” Xu said

Madrid to tie up Xabi Alonso deal, Barcelona search for a striker: January plans for La Liga's big clubs

Spain's top teams switch their attentions to the transfer window after the Primera Division wrapped up for the winter break on Sunday so, here, Goal takes a look at their plans

SPECIAL REPORT
By Ben Hayward

Time for a break. La Liga wrapped up for 2013 on Sunday as both Barcelona and Real Madrid sealed hard-fought wins, with the Catalans ending the year on top of the table and Atletico in a very close second.

Attentions now turn to the winter window, with a chance for those three to strengthen their teams in order to mount a sustained challenge for the title in the second half of the campaign.

So, here, Goal takes a look at the plans for Barca, Madrid and Atletico in January, as well as the priorities of some of the other major teams.

BARCELONA

Barcelona begin 2014 boosted by the renewal of Andres Iniesta, who signs his new deal on Monday, and the return to fitness of Lionel Messi.

However, there are still other matters to resolve for the Catalan club, with defender Marc Bartra out of contract in the summer and yet to pen a new agreement, and Martin Montoya's future also up in the air amid interest from Liverpool.

Barca do not want to lose either player and will step up negotiations with the pair in the coming weeks, while coach Gerardo Martino is also keen to recruit a striker in the winter window.

Both Robert Lewandowski and Sergio Aguero have been considered, but neither will accept a role on the bench at Camp Nou as the Catalans seek a player who can make an impact similar to that made by Henrik Larsson during Frank Rijkaard's time as coach.

Benfica's Oscar Cardozo and Lazio's Miroslav Klose are still being monitored by Barca, but the recent form of Cesc Fabregas, Pedro and Neymar in front of goal - plus the imminent return of Messi - means theBlaugrana are now unlikely to strengthen until the summer.

However, sporting director Andoni Zubizarreta will be busy in the coming weeks as he seeks a replacement for goalkeeper Victor Valdes, who is leaving in the summer. Talks are at an advanced stage with both Borussia Monchengladbach's Marc-Andre ter Stegen and Napoli's Pepe Reina. Both could conceivably sign and talks remain ongoing, with a decision set to be announced in January.

In terms of outgoings, Barca will consider bids for Cameroon midfielder Alex Song, although the former Arsenal man is unlikely to leave until the summer unless a huge offer is tabled.

REAL MADRID (

Real Madrid are even less likely to sign in January, but coach Carlo Ancelotti hopes he can persuade midfielder Xabi Alonso, who is out of contract in the summer, to sign a new deal with the capital club.

Alonso has spoken with Madrid about the possibility of renewing his contract, but the club are less confident than they were a couple of weeks ago as the player's familly weigh up a change of scenery. However, Xabi and his wife have just had a baby girl and Madrid hope the need for stability will help the 32-year-old decide that staying put is the best option for the Basque and his family.

In the meantime, Ancelotti is keeping tabs on Borussia Dortmund midfielder Ilkay Gundogan as a possible replacement.

Madrid have also been looking at strikers, but a new forward is unlikely to arrive in the winter window, especially after top target Luis Suarez signed an extension with Liverpool this week.

Elsewhere, winger Angel di Maria has been linked with an exit to Monaco in January, but Ancelotti hopes he will stay and a move looks unlikely. The Argentine would only be transferred to raise cash for a world-class striker, in any case, and with such a transfer on hold until at least the summer, El Fideo now seems certain to remain at Real for the foreseeable future.

ATLETICO MADRID

Atletico Madrid are still in debt and currently operate on a tight budget, so coach Diego Simeone is unlikely to be given funds to strengthen the side in January - even though they are challenging for what would be their first Liga crown since 1995-96.

Meanwhile, the Argentine coach has told the club's board he wants to keep his squad together to maintain the team's title tilt right until the end of the season.

Atleti are behind Barca on goal difference alone at the top of the table after 17 rounds of the championship, but several of the side's players are attracting interest from elsewhere, including in-form striker Diego Costa (wanted by Arsenal), Spain midfielder Koke (watched recently by Manchester United boss David Moyes) and Raul Garcia (interesting Inter).

Costa, in particular, could make the club some serious money in the winter window, but Simeone knows selling the striker would end his side's chances of lifting the Primera Division trophy in May.

Unlike Radamel Falcao, who was always likely to leave and joined Monaco last summer, Atleti are also confident of keeping Costa at the club in the long term and continue to seek improved renenue off the pitch in order to avoid selling their key players.

EVERYONE ELSE

Elsewhere in La Liga, there is unlikely to be much movement in January as Spain's clubs tighten their belts in what is a period of austerity in the Iberian nation.

Athletic Bilbao have recently rewarded Ibai Gomez with a new contract after the winger was linked with several Premier League teams, while the Basque outfit will resist any offers from Manchester United for midfielder Ander Herrera.

Struggling Betis have parted company with sporting director Vlada Tosic, meanwhile, and it remains to be seen whether the Andalusians will identify new targets now for the winter window.

Also in Andalucia, Malaga could lose goalkeeper Carlos Kameni, who is playing second fiddle to Argentine Willy Caballero and is keen to secure first-team football in order to fight for a World Cup place with Cameroon next year.

Real Sociedad are likely to stick with their current squad, but have moved to renew the contract of promising right-back Joseba Zaldua until 2016.

Finally, Valencia are awaiting investment from businessman Peter Lim which is expected to clear the club's debts and kick off an exciting new sporting project. However, with changes in the staff at the Mestalla outfit and the deal to be comfirmed officially, no major moves are expected in January.