Calling the abrupt up to 14 hours per day energy loadshedding announced for winter gas and power supply to be unjust and unfair, Muhammad Anees Khawaja, Incharge of All Pakistan Textile Mills Association (APTMA) South Punjab chapter said they rebuff this schedule and would launch a protest if the issue is not resolved quickly.
Noting that such unannounced loadshedding can cause the domestic textile industry to lose about Pk Rs. 1 billion in exports and value addition, he urged the Government to initiate immediate steps to exempt textile industry from loadshedding or at least ensure that the mandatory schedule is followed until grant of complete exemption.
Mr. Khawaja said upon presentations to President Asif Ali Zardari, the premier directed the Minister for Water and Power to oversee that the textile industry is exempted from loadshedding, however, the arrangement worked only for some time and now once again the loadshedding hours have been increased.
Addressing media, he said high level mismanagement is the root of the problem, which is negatively impacting the country's textile industry, which has an annual export turnover of US$ 14 billion and employs thousands of workers.
If the situation persists, it is likely to impact over 300 industrial units and more than 1.5 million workers and thus result in industrial unrest, the APTMA official said.
He thus called on the Government to initiate steps to ensure adequate power and gas supply for the textile industry, and added that a textile mill can function viably only if it remains operational round the clock throughout the year.
It is not possible for textile units to sustain operations with 6-14 hour power outages per day, he added.
He said the loadshedding exemption to independent feeders of textile industry has been withdrawn and power supply to the industry has been suspended by the Government just when it was highly needed.
Source:
http://www.fibre2fashion.com/news/textile-news/newsdetails.aspx?news_id=118176
