Gas shortage compels industries to suspend 80-90 percent production: NKATI

President North Karachi Association of Trade and Industry (NKATI) Naseem Akhtar, Patron in chief Captain A Moiz Khan and SVP, Imran Moiz Khan have claimed that 80 to 90 percent industrial productivity suspended due to non availability of gas and low gas pressure in this industrial area.

They calls on the government to suspend gas supply to CNG sector for two months to save export industries from disaster, also requested to adopt a strategy to keep the vehicles flowing on petrol till the gas crisis is overcome.

They have appealed to the government that if the industrial wheel rotates, exports will increase and the country will develop, but despite the facts, instead of industries, CNG sector is gaining prominence, which is not an economically viable initiative.

NKATI leaders said that industries should not be ruined for the sake of only one sector, because if the industries are locked up, unemployment will increase tremendously and this will have very bad impact on domestic exports.

"Due to non-availability of gas, 80 percent production activities of industries have been stalled in North Karachi Industrial Area. As a result of which hundreds of people would be unemployed and export orders may also be cancelled," they pointed out.

NKATI leaders said gas is the basic raw material of export oriented and other industries, including textile, especially in the processing industries, supply of gas is vital because the boiler is powered by gas alone. While it is not possible to replace the entire system to operate the boiler from furnace oil, So, Sui Southern Gas Company should ensure uninterrupted supply of gas to the industries in the best economic interest of the country. In order to ensure the completion of Prime Minister Imran Khan's vision to boost domestic exports.

They said that because of line gas pressure drop, the wheels of the industries also jam and it takes hours to re-form the gas pressure which is affecting the production of the industries.

NKATI leaders said due to unfulfilment of export orders on time and in the case of air shipments, exporters will have to bear 10 times additional cost, which would eventually force exporters to close their industries.

This will lead to further unemployment and the export industry going bankrupt. They recommend the use of instant geysers instead of using geysers in homes, which also reduces gas bills with gas savings.

Copyright Business Recorder, 2019