The government called on the people yesterday to observe austerity in electricity and gas consumption in view of the prevailing power generation shortfall.

Special Assistant to the Chief Adviser on Power and Energy M Tamim made the request at a press briefing held at the power ministry.

Blaming the immediate past government's inaction for the crippling power and gas crises, he said, "It seems that most terrible days are lurking ahead but still I'm optimistic." Asked whether his blaming the past government invokes the memory of previous political governments pointing an accusing finger at their predecessors for present crises, Tamim said, "I'm just trying to present a situation which we inherited from the previous government."

He said the country is now generating between 3,300 and 3,400 megawatts of power against a demand for 4,500 MWs.

But when his attention was drawn to the official websites of PDB and Petrobangla where power-production shortage was shown at 728MW and gas shortfall at 211 million cubic feet (mmefd), he said the gas and power crises in Chittagong were not included in his statement.

"Chittagong zone alone is facing a 420MW power shortage due to the shortage of gas."

He asked the people to keep shut half of their air-conditioners and the industrial consumers to switch off their operation during peak hours or use captive power to make do with the short supply.

Tamim also urged the household consumers to refrain from irrational use of gas in view of the national exigencies.

He said the present government has already added lOOMWof electricity to the national grid and would add another 1000MW by the end of the year. "We'll sign agreements for another 1000MW for the next government."

He said the present government has taken steps to enhance gas production by 250 mmefd within the next two years.