KARACHI: S.I.T.E. Association of Industry has expressed serious concerns and reacted strongly on the un-announced 12 hours of load shedding by K-E, Tuesday from 12:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. Previously K-E started unannounced load shedding from 7:00 p.m. to 9.00 p.m. and 12:00 midnight to 7:00 a.m. Unannounced frequent change of load shedding schedule further affects production causing production and financial losses.12 hours a day load shedding makes impossible to survive in these economic conditions with increasing costs and shortage of supply of diesel/gas for self-generation of power the financial burdens and problems further intensify. If un-announce load shedding continue there is no other alternative except to shutdown the factories during the holy month of Ramzan.
Mr. Asad Nisar said that SSGCL has provided 165 MMCFD (1050 BTU) which is very good quantity of gas with normal pressure to K-Electric. During hot summer season K-E must use Furnace Oil & Diesel for additional generation to reduce the un- announced load shedding.
He said “Industries located in SITE industrial area have been badly effected as most of the small industries who are vendors for the large exporters became idle due to non-availability of electric power”. It’s a universal fact that industrial consumers of electricity, have been making regular payments of energy bills to K-E.
He further said the load shedding creates unemployment in the city and will affect to law & order situation which is already in worst condition, the industry in Karachi is already suffering from a variety of problems in keeping the production wheel rolling and in addition to it protracted load shedding and frequent breakdown in industrial estates, mainly due to efficiency and mismanagement of K-E have further aggravated the situation and rendered the industrial units at the verge of collapse, he added. He also proposed that the commercial sale of electricity by the Captive Power Plant may be allowed to save industries from fatal collapse.
Mr. Nisar strongly urged the Honorable Prime Minister, Governor of Sindh, Chief Minister of Sindh and the Federal Minister for Water &Power to take serious note of this illegitimate action of K-E and instruct K-E to immediately resume the normal power supply to the industries inKarachi to avoid total ruin and disaster to the Industries, in fact this un-announced load shedding will also be a big blow to the valuable exports which consequently will largely effect the national economy.