“Apprehending negative impact of downslide in industrial production and
likely export commitments default, Adil said that new spell of Gas Load
Shedding will cripple the Industry and have extreme consequences to the
economy. Textile industry is in dire straits due to closure of gas over
the last eight days.
” “..
He said, textile exports from the country which were already under
severe strain due to escalating cost of inputs and raise in prices of
overhead items have been dealt a deadly blow of total closer of Gas
supply. Elaborating, he said that Sui Northern Gas authorities have cut
off Gas supply to textile manufacturing units over the last 8 days due
to major shortfall of Gas. ” “..
In case of closure of textile industry, a worsened law and order
situation will emerge due to unemployment of a large number of labour
force in the industries and give further rise to inflation as result of
increased costs of production of export commodities; something the
government needs to address with extreme urgency said Adil Manzoor
Elahi.
” “..
Acting Chairman said that current load shedding of gas will come with
extreme consequences to the economy and also criticised that government
had adopted a discriminatory policy for the up country industries, as
supply of gas to Punjab had been halted for almost five days a week,
whereas the other areas were enjoying nearly uninterrupted supply of
gas.
” “..
Textile manufacturers and exporters are badly affected by this action of
SNGPL and industrialists are facing great problems in maintaining
production cycles. He said that due to stoppage of gas, textile industry
is unable to produce exportable goods which will result in complete
halt to national exports, he said. ” “..
Adil said that majority of daily wage workers are left with no work,
resulting in them not even earning enough money to even feed their
families with one meal a day. Under the prevailing conditions,
industries are even forced to lay off their permanent staff and labour
to keep their costs at a minimum, and despite such drastic measures, the
industries are still not able to meet their costs and some are being
forced to run their operations in losses. ” “..
PTEA Acting Chairman said that as if the existent threats of electric
load shedding, high mark-up rates, high inflation rates, and the ever
deteriorating law and order situation were not enough for the industry,
which was barely surviving given the circumstances; this new threat of
Gas Load Shedding will cripple the industry altogether unless immediate
action was taken by the government to resolve this very critical issue.
” “..
He demanded that decision of gas load shedding should be taken back
immediately and gas should be supplied to the industries for at least
5-days. He warned that as natural consequence of long gas load shedding,
industrials and labor force would be completed to come on roads to
protest.
”
Date:1/13/2011
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