Industrialists have shown serious concerns over the Karachi Electric Supply Company's (KESC) decision to once again increase duration of loadshedding in industrial areas from 4 hours to 8 hours on the pretext of low gas pressure. North Karachi Association of Trade and Industry (NKATI) Chairman Abdul Rasheed Fodderwala on Wednesday condemned the KESC's decision saying that it will have negative impacts on the industrial production.
He said that industries in the city resumed production activities after remaining closed for three days on account of Ashura and with the increase in loadshedding their production would be badly hit. Rasheed said that instead of decreasing loadshedding in winter due to low electricity consumption, the KESC, to the surprise of every one, had increased loadshedding by 4 hours.
He said that if an uninterrupted electricity supply was not ensured, the country's exports would be badly affected. "When foreign buyers will not get their export orders in time, they would definitely be turning to other countries next time," he warned and urged the government to understand seriousness of the situation and issue necessary directions to end loadshedding.
Site Association of Industry (SAI) Chairman Mohammad Irfan Moton expressed his deep concern over the resumption of loadshedding in industrial areas. He said that the industrialists have nothing to do with the conflict between KESC and SSGC, as they were paying the KESC bills on time and wanted uninterrupted power supply in return.
He questioned that when the consumers were paying their bills regularly why the KESC was not clearing the SSGC dues? Another industrialist, Salman Badar said that on one hand the KESC was not willing to operate its units on oil while on the other it claims fuel adjustment charges. He urged the National Electric Power Regulatory Authority (Nepra) to investigate the fuel adjustment charges issue and adopt appropriate measures to protect consumers from paying undue charges.
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