According to spokesman, it was not viable for the textile industry to remain operational on prevailing power tariff, what to talk about the latest determination by the NEPRA. The APTMA spokesman said 30 per cent of the textile industry was closed down due to high cost of doing business, including the cost of electricity…According to him, the line losses of all B-3 and B-4 connections, meant for industry, were registering minimum line losses against retail supply to other sectors. Also, he added, the industry was clearing all its dues timely but the government was still burdening it by shifting the defaults from domestic users to the industry on the one hand and by increasing tariff irrationally on the other…The spokesman said the industry would not be viable on latest power determination, as it is already facing negative cash generation situation due to adverse circumstances since July 2007. The latest increase by NEPRA, if notified by the government, will result into more closures ahead, the spokesman feared. Especially, he added, the downstream value added chain is at the brink of disaster and present determination will prove a big blow to it…The APTMA spokesman said the gruesome situation in the industry demands from the government a full time availability of electricity for textile sector, competitive rates in line with regional competitors, and freezing of power tariff for textile value chain for two years besides introducing special textile industry tariff in the budget 2009-10 to make it viable ahead….
Date:5/16/2009
Source:The Nation