SNGPL MD assures LTIA of no gas loadshedding in industrial area

There will be no gas load shedding for industry, and modalities to bridge supply-demand gap is being finalised. This was stated by SNGPL Managing Director Abdul Rashid Lon after having a meeting with a delegation of Lahore Township Industries Association (LTIA) delegation, headed by its Chairman Zaheer Bhutta here on Tuesday.
The delegation gave a detailed briefing to the MD over the losses caused by gas load shedding. Bhutta said that Lahore Township Industrial Estate is the largest industrial area of Punjab where more than 400 industrial units, including textile, engineering, auto parts, plastic, ghee, ice cream; dyeing, pharmaceutical, steel beverage, hosiery and food, etc are operational.
He said that these units are providing employment to nearly 40,000 people and paying billions of rupees to the national exchequer, but unfortunately, the concerned gas and power authorities never bothered to take them on board while evolving any policies regarding load shedding. He said Lahore Township industrial area was facing massive unannounced load shedding of gas, which was hitting industrial production very hard.
He said that sword of unemployment was hanging on the heads of industrial workers in the wake of non-availability of gas and electricity but the government was playing the role of a silent spectator. He said that the industrial area, which was hub of production, was presenting a deserted look as a large number of industrial units had stopped production.
They said that the economic crisis would further deepen in coming days as industry has failed to fulfil existing export orders what to talk of any new orders. He said that those who were thinking that economy would be back on rails soon were actually living in fool's paradise as the situation has already gone out of hands and it would need special measures to control the situation.
SNGPL MD assured the delegation that Lahore Township Industrial Area would be exempted from gas load shedding in next winter. He said that a detailed survey would be conducted with the help of LTIA, and arrangements would be made to ensure consistent gas supply to the industries of this important area.