The chairman, Site Association of Industry (SAI), Ameen Bandukda, has warned the Karachi Electric Supply Corporation (KESC) that if the power supply to Site area is not restored immediately the industrialists will close down their units, lay off the workers, and stop the payments to KESC, and claim damages from the utility company on ground of no production in Site industrial area for the last three days.
Condemning the KESC working during the last three days, he said that last Sunday at 2:00 pm the power supply to Site industrial area was discontinued on the plea of heavy rains in the city. Thereafter, the KESC has failed to restore the power supply to Site industrial area where more than 3,000 industries are working, and about 80 percent industrial area is without power till now.
He said after lapsing of 72 hours there seems no hope of restoration of power supply. While industries are suffering huge losses on account of non-supply of electricity, the government is also a loser as huge amount of revenue is lost in the process.
Export-oriented industries are also in great trouble for non-fulfilment of export orders in time, he said, adding industries in Site area have lost production of Rs 5 billion for the last three days.
Bandukda said that it is first time in the history that 80 percent industries in Site area are standing idle for the last three days due to no power supply. No body in KESC is ready to give a proper answer and there seems to be complete chaos in their working.
The SAI chief stated that one of the objectives behind privatisation of the power company was to improve its efficiency and working conditions. Unfortunately, recent events have shown that there is marked deterioration in the quality of service and supply. There may be more than what meets the eye but it is imperative that the consumers of KESC are not made to suffer and especially the industrial consumers. The wheels of industry must be kept in motion to achieve our economic goals and targets.
Ameen Bandukda also said: "We do comprehend the numerous problems the KESC are facing but it must also be recognised that such a deplorable situation has never ever arisen in this industrial area before and the apathy that is evident is incomprehensible."
He said since the manufacturing sector of this large industrial area that is contributing 30 percent to the economy of the country, is becoming dormant, the need of rectifying the faults on urgent basis is the need of the hour.
He urged the President and the Prime Minister, the federal minister for power, the governor and the chief minister of Sindh to take a serious note of it and give strong directives to the KESC management to restore the power supply to Site industrial area on war footings and put the things right immediately.
In another statement, the chairman, Korangi Association of Trade and Industry (Kati), Gulzar Firoz, feared that the industrialists might close down their units and shift them to some other province if utility company failed to provide uninterrupted power supply.
He said that industrial workers are sitting ideal and urged the government to take note of this situation. He urged Sindh Chief Minister Dr Arbab Ghulam Rahim, Provincial Minister for Industry, Transport and Labour Muhammad Adil Siddiqui and City Nazim Mustafa Kamal to direct the KESC to improve power supply in the industrial area.-PR
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