APTMA voices concern over massive unannounced loadshedding

RECORDER REPORT

LAHORE: Spokesman of All Pakistan Textile Mills Association (APTMA) has expressed concern over massive unannounced load shedding upto 10-12 hours a day causing serious production, exports and job cuts across the textile industry.

He said the textile mills situated in Discos including Islamabad Electric Supply Co (IESCO), Lahore Electric Supply Co (Lesco), Faisalabad Electric Supply Co (Fesco), and Gujranwala Electric Power Co (Gepco) were being hit hard by unannounced load shedding for long duration.

APTMA spokesman said the government had withdrawn the exemption from load shedding to the textile industry on independent feeders and temporarily announced four hours a day load shedding during high demand period. Since last one week, industry is being forced to endure load shedding like domestic consumers for long durations spanning 10-12 hours a day.

He said Discos were intentionally violating the decision of the Energy Conference chaired by the Prime Minister and blaming the NTDC for long spells of power outages. The NTDC officials, on the other hand, are of the view that how they can avoid power supply to a specific area after keeping functional the grid station of that area.

The spokesman said that a textile mill could only be viable if it was operational 24/7 and 365 days a year. Otherwise, he said it became unviable to sustain production, if there were power breakdowns for eight to 10 hours a day.

He said similar submissions were made to the President Asif Ali Zardari by the Chairman APTMA in a recently-held meeting in Karachi, who directed the Ministry for Water and Power to ensure exemption from load shedding to textile industry. This arrangement could, however, only lasted for a few weeks and this duration has been increased to six hours.

He has urged the government to act immediately and ensure exemption from load shedding to the textile industry or at least follow the announced four hours mandatory load shedding until full exemption was ensured.