Industrialists have expressed disappointment over the 12-hour load shedding in industrial areas of the city on Monday, despite that the industrial units remained closed on Sunday. They said that the government had assured them that gas supply would be increased to Karachi Electric Supply Company (KESC) if industrial units operating on gas or captive power remain closed on Sunday, which will lead to reduction in load shedding in industrial areas.
Almost all the industrial units in seven industrial estates of the city remained closed from 7:00am on Sunday to 7:00am on Monday, but despite that the KESC increased load shedding from eight hours to 12-hour on Monday. Chairman Korangi Association of Trade and Industry (KATI) Ehtishamuddin pointed out that KESC reduced load shedding in industrial areas from 12 hours to 8 hours on last Saturday and there was no load shedding from 9:00am to 1:00pm. "Surprisingly on Monday, it carries out load shedding in the morning from 9:00am to 1:00pm without any prior intimation," he added However, he said, no complaint of gas pressure was received from any part of the industrial area.
He further said that Sui Southern Gas Company (SSGC) disconnected gas supply to 60 companies for 48 hours in the city on the pretext that they were found operating on Sunday. Defending the units, he said that the units remained operative due to communication gap and the massage of Sunday closure was not communicated to them. The issue was taken up with the SSGC authorities and they agreed to restore gas supply to these companies on the assurance that they would keep their units closed on coming Sunday, he added. It is worth motioning here that SSGC has decided to impose penalty on those units running on Sunday, besides suspending supply of gas for 48 hours to the violators.
Chairman, North Karachi Association of Trade and Industry (NKATI), Abdul Rasheed Fodderwala expressed serious concern over increase in load shedding from 8 hours to 12 houses in spite of complete closure of industrial units in North Karachi industrial area on Sunday.
He said unrest among labourers was increasing due to the 12 hours load shedding in industrial areas. Closure of units has serious impact on daily-wagers. He said that SSGC had claimed that 300 MMCFD gas could be saved if industrial units remained closed on Sunday, which would be enough to increase gas supply to KESC. "This claim of SSGC remained just claim as KESC instead of reducing load shedding increased it," he added.
He said that the trade bodies have approached governor, chief minister, federal ministers, SSGC and KESC but of no use. Chairman, Federal B Area Association of Trade and Industry (FBAATI), Mohammad Masroor Alvi, said that complaints of both gas and power supply were received from the area.
He said that there was no letup in electricity load shedding in this industrial. On the other hand, SSGC disconnected gas supply of those industrial units which remained operative on Sunday which created big issue, he added. He said that KESC claimed it was getting only 80 MMCFD gas, which was not enough to operate its generation units and reduce load shedding in inundatal areas. KESC required around 150 MMCFD gas to end load shedding in industrial areas, he added He said reports of low gas pressures were also received from Site industrial area.