Losses due to loadshedding: industrialists mull legal action against KESC

Leader of Businessmen Group (BMG) and former President Karachi Chamber of Commerce and Industry (KCCI), Siraj Kassim Teli has advised all industrialists to calculate losses they suffered due to power loadshedding in industrial areas of the city so that legal proceedings should be initiated for its recovery from Karachi Electric Supply Company (KESC).
Speaking at an emergency meeting of seven industrial town associations held at Site Associating of Industry (SAI) on Wednesday, he further advised industrialists to submit the losses details to their respective associations as soon as possible.
He said that he has no authentic statistics of losses suffered due to loadshedding in industrial area and added that a conservative estimate put the losses suffered by industrialists at around Rs 45 to Rs 50 billion. Referring to KESC legal notice, he said that reply of the notice has been finalised and it will be dispatch on Thursday.
He expressed his determination that if KESC initiate court proceedings they will defend it. "We are fully prepared to face and defend," he added. He said that the KESC consumers have nothing to do with the issue of either KESC getting gas or furnace oil or not.
He alleged that KESC deliberately destroying 17000 industrial units in the city by carrying out 8 to 12 hour's loadshedding in industrial areas. The participants also passed a resolution against KESC, which was moved by Chairman SAI, Mohammad Irfan Moton. However at this stage former Chairman Korangi Association of Trade and Industry (Kati), Mian Zahid Hussain emphasised to hold the resolution for some time.
Mian Zahid said that he has discussed the legal notice issue with KESC officials who might withdraw it. Speaking on the occasion, Chairman, Sindh Investment Board and former president KCCI, Zubair Motiwal expressed hope that power supply and gas pressure will improve considerably from January 1, 2012.
He mentioned that Federal Minister for Petroleum Dr Asim Hussain has assured that 40 MMCFD gas supply to Fuji fertiliser will be stopped from January 1, 2012 and the same will be diverted to KESC. The minister further assured that 100 MMCFD would be added to the system from a new gas field, Zubair added. He said that KESC has already reduced loadshedding in industrial areas from 12 hours to 8 hours from Tuesday last.
Referring to gas pressure, he informed that SSGC has initiated installing gas pressure boosters at five locations in Site industrial area to improve gas pressure. Gas pressure in other industrial areas is already normal, he added. President KCCI Mian Abrar Ahmed, Senior Vice President (KCCI), Younus Muhammad Bashir, Chairman KATI Ehtishamuddin, Chairman Federal B Area Association of Trade and Industry (FBAATI) Masroor Alvi, Chairman North Karachi Association of Trade and Industry (NKATI) Abdul Rasheed Fodderwala, Chairman Site Superhighway Association of Trade and Industry (LATI) Mehtab Chawala and other were present in the meeting.