DUSHANBE, May 21, Asia-Plus  -- Issues related to preparations for autumn-winter season should be top priority for all government institutions through the whole year, Mirzosharif Islomiddinov, the head of the Majlisi Namoyandagon (Tajikistan’s lower chamber of parliament) Committee  on Energy, Industry, Construction and Communications, said in an interview with Asia-Plus. 

According to him, to avoid the situation that had emerged in the country during the past winter it is necessary to tackle a number of problems already today.   

“Firs of all, it is necessary to resolve the issue of repayment of electricity and gas debts inside the country in order to have an opportunity to make prepayment for Uzbek natural gas,” MP said.   

The other important issue is import of electricity during the autumn-winter period and this issue should be discussed at the governmental level already today, Islomiddinov said.  “In my opinion, the government should not resolve the issue of providing electricity supplies to the large industrial enterprises; these enterprises themselves should take care of that.” 

He also suggests that the volumes of electricity supplies to all economic entities should be determined in advance.  “If we determine them, it will allow us taking additional measures in good time to find resources necessary to provide the population with electricity and avoid critical situation during the winter months,” MP said.  

On the issue of providing rural population with heat during the winter months, Islomiddinov pointed to the necessity of reviewing prices for coal, “which is the only source of heat in many regions of the country, while its prices are not affordable for inhabitants of those regions.”  

MP also stressed that it is necessary to regularly check reports of local authorities on a progress of preparations for the autumn-winter season because they sometimes do not correspondent to the facts.