No let-up in 12-hour loadshedding in industrial areas

There was no letup in the 12-hour load shedding in industrial areas of the city on Monday despite the assurances of Governor Sindh and Federal Minister for Petroleum and Natural Resources that Karachi Electric Supply Company (KESC) would end load shedding in the industrial areas of the city from Monday.
The decision to end the prolong load shedding in industrial areas from Monday was taken during a high level meeting at Governor House on Saturday, which was attended by Sindh Governor Dr Ishratul Ebad Khan, Federal Minister for Petroleum and Natural Resources, Dr Asim Hussain and high officials of SSGC, PSO, and KESC.
It was decided in the meeting that SSGC would provide 180 MMCFD gas to KESC to end the ongoing load shedding. Industrialists said that KESC was still carrying out 12-hour load shedding in industrial areas. President, Karachi Chamber of Commerce and Industry (KCCI), Mian Abrar Ahmed expressed the hope that SSGC would restore 180 MMCFD gas to KESC by midnight and there would be no load shedding in seven industrial zones of the city by Tuesday.
He was of the view that the prolong load shedding could not be ended on Monday due to the delay in restoration of 180 MMCFD gas supply to KESC. To a question, he said that the KESC had given written commitment not to carry out load shedding in the industrial areas. To another question, he said that industrialists had already decided and announced that they would not pay KESC bills until and unless it ends load shedding in industrial areas. "We still stick to our decision," he added.
In case the power utility disconnect power supply on non-payment of bills, the huge labour force of about 17,000 industrial units of the city would besiege the KESC office, he added. Chairman, Site Association of Industry (SAI), Mohammad Irfan Moton said that KESC was still carrying out load shedding in industrial areas that had adverse impact on production.
He said that as per his information the SSGC failed to restore 180 MMCFD gas supply to KESC due to low gas pressure. KESC may be able to end load shedding if PSO start supplying furnace oil, he opined. He said that a meeting of all industrial town associations will be called incase KESC failed to normalise power supply by Tuesday to decide future line of action.
Chairman, Federal B. Area Association of Trade and Industry (FBAATI), Masroor Alvi said that there was no improvement in power supply to the industrial areas. He said that Sindh Governor and federal minister for Petroleum had assured that there would be no load shedding in the industrial areas from Monday but their assurance went in vein.