'Textile industry faces gas loadshedding first time during summer'

All Pakistan Bedsheet and Upholstry Manufacturers Association (APBUMA) Chairman Khawaja Jalaluddin Roomi has said that the textile industry in Punjab is desperately seeking five days a week gas supply from July 10 onwards-as promised by the Federal Minister for Petroleum and Natural Resources Dr Asim Hussain.
Talking to this scribe here on Sunday Roomi said in case gas supply is not restored as per commitment-"the industry would not let the SNGPL disconnect its supply." He said the APBUMA members are not ready to continue with three days a week gas supply arrangement any further as they want to secure their businesses and future of a 15 million workforce.
APBUMA chairman said the textile and ancillary industry, for the first time in its history, has faced gas loadshedding during summer season, shrinking its production capacity by 43 percent since April 2011. "The CNG pumps, on the other hand, are being supplied with 24 percent additional gas, facilitating people to run luxurious cars on cheap fuel," he complained.
He said despite crisis, the textile industry has outperformed all sectors of economy by achieving record exports of $14 billion in 2010-11. The industry has not blocked salaries of workers, bank mark-ups and government taxes and levies for a single day despite odd factors of production. According to him, the industry is left with 1.6 million bales in inventory due to hundred percent decline in cotton prices internationally by July 2011 and new cotton season is on the anvil. He said the textile industry was informed by the SNGPL authorities that it had extended Rs 9 billion a month financial guarantee to four new IPPs in case gas supply is interrupted to them until June 30, 2011. "The industry co-operated with the SNGPL patiently," he added.
On June 30, Roomi said, Dr Asim Hussain met the APTMA members led by Gohar Ijaz in Lahore and assured to restore five days a week gas supply to industry from 10th July onwards. The APBUMA chief said the textile millers would not let the SNGPL officials to disconnect their supplies for less than five days a week from today onwards and therefore the government should make arrangements to avoid any untoward situation, particularly in Punjab.