Five-day gas supply: textile industry wants minister to fulfil commitment: Aptma

Chairman All Pakistan Textile Mills Association (Aptma) Gohar Ejaz has said that the textile industry in Punjab is desperate to get five days a week gas supply from July 10 onwards, as promised by the Federal Minister for Petroleum and Natural Resources Dr Asim Hussain.
In a press conference on Saturday, Gohar said the industry, in case gas supply not restored for five days a week as per commitment, would not let the SNGPL to disconnect its supply on ground. He said the Aptma members are not ready to continue with three days a week gas supply arrangement any further in order to secure their businesses and future of 15 million work force.
Chairman Aptma said the textile industry, for the first time in its history, has faced gas load shedding during summer season, cutting its production capacity by 43 percent since April 2011. The CNG pumps, on the other hand, are supplied with 24 percent additional gas during the same period to keep plying luxurious cars on cheap fuel.
He said the textile industry has outperformed all sectors of economy by achieving record exports of $14 billion in 2010-11 despite severe energy crisis. 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 of cotton prices internationally by July 2011 and new cotton season is on the anvil.
He said the textile industry was told 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, he said, Dr Asim Hussain met Aptma members in Lahore and assured of restoring five days a week gas supply to industry from July 10 onwards.
Chairman Aptma 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. Meanwhile, subsequent to the press conference of Chairman Aptma, the SGNPL authorities, on the directions of Federal Petroleum Minister Dr Asim Hussain, communicated its decision to restore textile industry gas supply for five days a week from 10th July onwards.