48-hour gas suspension hits 80pc industrial units

N H Zuberi

KARACHI: Gas suspension to industrial areas for 48 hours from Saturday morning has hit 80 percent industrial units located in seven industrial estates of the city.

The industrialists said that they not only loss production of Saturday but actually they lost entire week owing to Eid holidays from Monday.

They said the textile processing industry was a major sufferer besides others of energy crisis, as abrupt suspension of gas supply from the SSGC network have affected production capacity adversely.

They said that the traders were assured of non-stop gas supply from SSGC if we keep industrial units closed on Sunday to save gas but SSGC revoked its promises on the pretext of low gas pressure.

They said when the gas loadshedding carried out according to schedule, the manufactures managed to plan their gas usage accordingly, but when loadshedding is random, they left without the means to production target completed.

They said that gas supply suspension have serious repercussions and huge adverse impact on production and achieving of production target.

Chairman, Korangi Association of Trade and Industry (KATI), Ehtishamuddin said that around 80 percent industry units using gas for captive power generation and consuming gas for production have been hit by sudden cut of gas supply.

He said a sizeable daily wage workforce is being hit hard due to suspension of gas supply, as the affected units have no option but to ask them to go home.

He said that the daily wage workers and employees together will resume work after Eid holidays.

Karachi Chamber of Commerce and Industry’s President Mian Abrar Ahmad has expressed deep concern over stoppage of gas to industries by SSGC. While terming the move of SSGC unilateral, he stated that the KCCI takes a very exception of this arrogant and unilateral move by SSGC by abruptly stopping the gas to industry without any consultation with the stakeholders.

He said that lame excuse of low pressure by SSGC is wrong and unacceptable.

He said that the officials of SSGC were repeatedly contacted but they were not replying and not picking up the phones.

President KCCI said that in the next four days the industry was supposed to operate to cater the domestic needs and to meet the export targets.

He lamented that particularly process industry would be badly affected due to stoppage of gas and productions of textiles, eatable items, and fast moving consumer goods (FMCG) would be seriously hampered if the gas is not restored immediately.

He said that this stoppage will lead to disturbance in the demand and supply chain and would upset the distribution of products in the local markets and upcountry destination. He said that scarcity of products in the market may also lead to increase rates of products and black marketing.

He strongly condemned the arrogant attitude of SSGC and highly criticized such deplorable action by the government.

He said that in spite of ample reserves and gas availability in the province, such move of gas curtailment/stoppage is highly deplorable as the industries in all the seven industrial zones would suffer..

He said that on one side government is contemplating to increase targets for nominal growth and on the other side its harsh decisions of gas and power outages and increased utility tariffs are posing severe threats for achieving the said target. At present, country is going through a very serious economic crisis in terms of escalating cost of production/ manufacturing based on continuous rise on the utilities.

He said that the KCCI will not accept gas outages to its affiliated 7 industrial zones and industries thereof along with CNG stations in Karachi.