power boost: To overcome power shortage, Pakistan has recently given approval to the country's five independent power companies to set up plants at an estimated cost of us $1 billion. These power producers -- Fauji Al-Kubail (from Dubai), Orient Power, Nadeem Power, Saif Power and Muridke Power -- will run their turbines on gas. Each with a capacity of 200 mw, initially the plants will operate at 60 per cent capacity. If the demand increases, they will increase their capacity to operate at 90 per cent, say officials. Pakistan president Pervez Musharraf has urged the power companies to expedited the work and make the projects operational within two years. The country is also considering four more power projects to stay standby.
oil deal: To reduce its need to import refined petroleum products, Sri Lanka is set to build a second oil refinery at a cost of us $1.5 billion. The Sri Lankan government has contracted United Arab Emirates-based Star Petro Energy LLC to build the refinery. The proposed oil-refinery will be set up in Hambantota in southern Sri Lanka and become operational in about two years. Every year, Sri Lanka imports at least four million tonnes of crude oil, which cost the government around us $480,000. Of the total imported oil, only two million tonnes are refined at the state-owned Ceylon Petroleum Corp's Sapugaskanda refinery. The government also plans to double the output capacity of the Sapugaskanda refinery.
landslide: As many as 30 villagers were feared killed in a landslide triggered by torrential rains in western Nepal, in the second week of July. The landslide has swept away an entire settlement in Nepane village of Kaski district. According to police reports, at least 15 houses were swept away in the incident. Though search and rescue efforts by police, army soldiers, Maoists and Red Cross workers are on, incessant rain is hindering the rescue process and increasing the threat of more landslides.
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