More than 50 percent industrial units consuming bulk water are at the verge of collapse due to limited supply of water by KWSB authorities to Site industrial area on account of power breakdowns at main water pumping stations.
The industrialists said that industrial production is badly affected due to the suspension or intermittent water supply by the KWSB.
They further added that export-oriented textile units are suffering massively as they would not be able to meet their production target and may lose export orders.
Textile sector is the single largest sector of Pakistan economy, contributing 55 percent total exports, providing 38 percent jobs in manufacturing sector and contributes 8.5 percent of the gross domestic product.
They said that a large number of textile processing units in site industrial area were closed due to water scarcity while others are at the verge of closure. At times, processing mills are forced to get supply of water through tankers. This indicates that whatever quantity of water is to be supplied is being diverted to urban areas by slashing supplies to textile industry.
Similarly, the bulk consumers of water including the industrial ones, also faced water shortage as low pressure in main supply lines to Korangi, Landhi and Federal B Area industrial areas, creating problems for industrial units to carry out their industrial activities.
The industrial area of site, which has over 3,000 factories, is facing acute shortage of water, resulting in loss of production and closure of some units, said industrialists.
They said that site area has been receiving water with low pressure for a long time. They further deplored that water shortage not only hurting production activity but also deprived country to meet export commitment and caused irreparable loss to the production machinery.
Salim Parekh, Chairman (Central) and Arif Lakhany, Regional Chairman, All Pakistan Textile Processing Mills Association (APTPMA) , said that almost all the Industrial areas continued to suffer due to water shortage on account of power breakdowns at main KW&SB installations.
They said that ongoing crisis has reduced industrial output and industries are suffering financially huge losses due to power breakdowns of KW&SB installations.
They further said that the frequent power breakdown coupled with water shortage will badly hit the export target and the much needed foreign exchange earnings. He further said that water supply position has been affected by the prolonged power breakdowns.
The APTPMA Chief said that 40 percent of textile processing industries in Pakistan are located in SITE Industrial area and water is the basic raw material of textile processing industries, especially valued added textile.
He said that Karachi industrial areas are paying 67 percent of the country' taxes. Water shortage has crippled industrial and business activities.
He urged the Governor of Sindh, Chief Minister of Sindh and Minister of Industries to depute a team to resolve water issue of the SITE Area.
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