600 industrial units: SNGPL announces three-day gas shedding

RECORDER REPORT

FAISALABAD: Sui Northern Gas Pipelines Limited (SNGPL) has announced three-day gas-shedding schedule for 600 industrial units of the region, which will start from November 24 morning and gas-shedding will continue till November 27 morning.

Industrialists have expressed grave concern over the gas-shedding of three day in each week in Punjab and stated that the severe gas-shedding would plunge the upcountry export oriented and labour intensive value added textile sector and prevailing situation is causing industrial unrest and worsening law and order situation.

Talking to newsmen, Chaudhry Salamat Ali, Chief Coordinator and former chairman, Pakistan Hosiery Manufacturers and Exporters Association (PHMA) North Zone said that the SNGPL three-day weekly gas suspension plan hitting exports, productivity and government revenues. He demanded that the government should intervention and help for a regular supply of gas to the industry in Punjab in the best interest of the industry as well as national exports.

He said that the 90 day gas suspension plan in winter would have a very negative impact on entire industrial sector that was already passing through very challenging times due to acute shortage of electricity and bad law and order situation. He demanded that the government should be immediately withdrawn the petroleum prices and regular gas supply to industry.

He pointed out that losses of hundreds of millions of rupees feared in textile sector in Punjab due to loadshedding gas and electricity at this juncture when the exporters are required to work full time due to meet promises of foreign buyers. He demanded that gas supply to Punjab industries should be ensured five day weekly to save the crisis redden textile sector.