SITE Association of Industry has expressed serious concerns over the announcement of 12 hours load shedding by KESC, in two spells from 12:30 pm to 6:00 pm and 11:00 pm to 5:00 am, in the industrial areas of the city. It says that previously KESC started unannounced load shedding from April 13, 2013 from 9.00 am to 1:00 pm and 7:00 pm to 11:00 pm, accordingly production schedule was changed and adjusted.
From 17.04.2013 the schedule was changed from 11:00 am to 3:00 pm and 6.00 pm to 10:00 pm and then from 10:00 pm to 2:00 pm. Unannounced frequent change of load shedding schedule further affected production causing production and financial losses, it added. The industrial sector has suffered millions of rupees production losses due to 12 hours unannounced load shedding carried out by Karachi Electric Supply Company (KESC) in industrial areas of the city. Few days ago KESC agreed to reduce load shedding and later on the intervention of Governor Sindh Dr Ishratul Ebad and Caretaker Minister for Industries Khalid Tawab, started uninterrupted power supply to the industrial sector but it could not continue.
The association says KESC starts load shedding in industrial areas on one pretext or the other which hampers industrial production activities adversely. It urged the government to come up with a clear cut energy policy as the unscheduled and hours long power outages were causing unprecedented losses to both the trade and industry. It urged Governor of Sindh and the Caretaker Chief Minister of Sindh to take serious note of this illegitimate action of KESC and instruct KESC to immediately resume the normal power supply to the industries in Karachi to avoid total collapse of industries.-PR