Minister assures industrialists for resolving issues
LAHORE: Provincial Minister for Industries, Commerce & Investment Mian Aslam Iqbal has said that no notice will be served on industrialists for industrial regularization until new master plan for Lahore is finalised.
He was speaking at a meeting at the Lahore Chamber of Commerce & Industry (LCCI). Managing Director Water and Sanitation Agency (WASA) Syed Zahid Aziz also spoke on the occasion. The minister said the issue of regularisation of scattered industrial zones would be resolved once new the master plan for Lahore is prepared and implemented. On demand of the LCCI president, the minister directed the MD WASA to resolve the issue of disparity in water charges in different cities immediately as growth of businesses is top priority of the government. He said the WASA and LCCI should have meetings and form proposals till August 15 so that those could be forwarded to the government for necessary amendments.
To a question, Mian Aslam Iqbal said that proposals for opening of restaurants with standard operating procedures (SOPs) soon after Eid ul Azha would be forwarded to federal government. Likewise, proposal for opening of marriage halls in the first week of September would also be forwarded for approval. He also directed the MD WASA to ensure up-to-date drainage system in the markets to avoid financial losses to the business community.
"The Punjab government was fully aware of its responsibilities and would utilise all resources to solve the problems faced by the industry. Growth of industry, commerce and investment and sustained development in Punjab through a business-friendly environment is top agenda of the government," the minister added.
LCCI President Irfan Iqbal Sheikh said the industry situated in different parts of the city should be regularized without any hurdle. He said businesses were already in a deep trouble due to Covid-19 therefore no notice should be served.
He said that businesses of marriage halls, caterers and restaurants were closed for the last five months, adding they should be allowed to do businesses with SOPs.
Irfan Iqbal Sheikh said traders should be allowed to do 24/7 businesses till Eid as they had suffered a lot. He said sewerage system in the markets of Lahore was outdated, damaged and dysfunctional and showed flood-like situation whenever there was heavy downpour. He said rainy water entered into the godown, shops and basements and damaged the trading goods like machinery, furniture and raw materials etc. The streets of these markets were flooded heavily due to rainwater and the business activities get seriously hampered till the drainage of water.
The LCCI President said that other than sewerage issues, the LCCI members are facing another problem because the WASA has revised the water tariff by fixing Rs 100,000 per month and Rs 50,000 per month respectively for extracting ground water through tube-well of 1 cusec and 1/2 cusec for industrial and commercial consumers in Lahore.
He said that tariff was extremely high as compared to other cities of Punjab like Faisalabad and Multan etc. He said the approach of fixation of water charges would bring more challenges for the industrial sector that was already facing stiff economic challenges due to the outbreak of Covid-19. The LCCI suggested to make the water tariff uniform in all cities.
Copyright Business Recorder, 2020