Sui Northern Gas Pipelines Limited (SNGPL) has announced new four days Gas schedule for Industrial Sector, which will start from December 22 (today). Meanwhile, 380 CNG gas station will closed for next three days from December 22 (today), resultantly long lines of vehicles were seen at the CNG stations for filling their cylinders.
Furthermore, government invited the Industrialists and Textile Exporters for negotiations at Islamabad on Friday. Commenting over the prevailing situation, Chaudhry Salamat Ali, former chairman and Chief Co-ordinator, Pakistan Hosiery Manufacturers and Exporters Association (PHMA) North Zone demanded that government would have to reset its priorities regarding provision of gas otherwise situation would go out of control and foreign exchange earning Textile Sector would be unable to export their products timely.
He pointed out that SNGPL had provided Gas to industries only six days during December 2011 so far. Resultantly, about $400 million Textile Export orders for Christmas destined for Europe and USA for the winter season could not be manufactured by the Textile Units in the region due to gas loadshedding. Government is insensitive to the huge loss of industrial productivity and external trade earnings, he mentioned.
Chaudhry Salamat Ali also expressed grave concern over the 14 percent increase in Gas prices from January 2012 and said that four-day closure of gas means almost complete shutdown of the industry and laying off thousands of people from their jobs, who are already living below poverty line in Punjab. An elected government is duty bound to listen the grievances of its electorates but it appears that people are being penalised for their agitation; he pointed out and added that no doubt there was shortage of gas but a solution could be found. How the industry would be able to manage the export orders worth millions of dollars when there is no gas and what about the millions of daily wagers, who have only one source of income, he asked.
Furthermore, three to fours hours unscheduled loadshedding of electricity has also begun once again in the industrial city, further adding to the problems of citizens already facing low gas pressure. Electricity and Gas consumers stated that in most of the areas there was neither gas nor electricity in the early morning hours for the last three days. Citizens complained that it was getting difficult for them to prepare breakfast for their children due to the unavailability of both public utilities' at the same time.
Residents of Jinnah Colony, Muhammadpura, Gulberg, Allama Iqbal Colony, Model Town, Dee Type Colony and Khan Model Colony said that all of a sudden three to four-hour loadshedding has been started in their areas without prior notice by the Faisalabad Electric Supply Company (Fesco) authorities, while the gas supply was off whole day. Industrial workers and citizen are still protesting over low gas pressures. The protesters chanted slogans against the SNGPL management and demanded immediate action to resolve the problems.
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