 |
| |
WEEKLY
SECTIONS |
 |
|
 |
| Power outage hits industrial output in Punjab |
|
|
|
Sunday, April 12, 2009
By Mansoor Ahmad
Industrial productivity remained under pressure in Punjab during the week due to shortage of power.
The industries that used to run three shifts a day now operate only two shifts resulting in a steady decline in the workforce. The All Pakistan Textile Mills Association (APTMA) strongly protested against unscheduled disruption of gas supplies to its member units.
Textile exports that are already under pressure would suffer further as a result of uncertain energy supplies.
The undocumented power loom sector that is concentrated in the residential areas of Faisalabad employs over 600,000 workers.
Uncertain electricity supplies result in a complete closure of these power looms and render thousands of workers jobless.
Faisalabad businessmen deplore that despite frequent promises the supplies to these power looms remain erratic. Electrical engineers point out that there are only two solutions to this problem. One is to consider the residential area of Faisalabad as industrial area that would ensure uninterrupted electricity supply for 16-18 hours with a consolidated load-shedding of 4-6 hours. This, they add, would not suit the residents that form majority of consumers.
The other solution, they added, is to waive Faisalabad completely from load-shedding. This would not be acceptable to consumers in other cities. They said the authorities would perhaps have to wait till the load-shedding abolished completely. Liquid Petroleum Gas Producers Association President Iqbal Z Ahmad in a press briefing at Lahore urged the government to discourage import of LPG and utilize the 900 ton of LPG that is being wasted by burning it in air. He also proposed establishing rental power units that are cheaper in tariff and can be discontinued once the government finds cheaper alternate power source. Farmers in Punjab are not enjoying the cooler wet spring as it is now threatening the wheat crop that is at ripening stage.
Hail storm in South Punjab this week damaged the mango crop which was at flowering stage. Punjab is expecting a bumper wheat crop if the rains stop immediately and sun brings in enough warmth in the atmosphere to help the ripening of wheat grains. Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani inaugurated the commissioning of 165MW power plant of Attock Oil Company at Rawalpindi that is a welcome addition to the power starved country.
For the first time he also promised that the load- shedding would be eliminated by the end of this year.
Multan Chamber of Commerce and Industry invited the Punjab Chief Minister Shahbaz Sharif who promised that the provincial government would make efforts to reduce the cost of doing business in the province. He is riding on the peak of popularity he attained after restoration of his government. He enjoyed full support of all 16 chambers of the province during the governor’s rule and is contacting each chamber to seek their advice for revival of industrial production in Punjab.
Sasti Roti (cheap wheat flour bread) is a hot topic in the province these days. The Punjab government somehow succeeded against all odds to ensure supply of roti at Rs2 to poorer segments of the society. Now the CM Punjab has promised to lower the cost of roti to Rs1. Experts are keeping their fingers crossed as the cost involved is enormous.
The chief minister is seeking the assistance of the civil society in this regard. He has delivered on his promises in the past and people expect that he will live up to his reputation. The trade unions lodged protest against the proposed privatisation of power distribution companies. They cite the example privatization of Karachi Electric Supply Company after which the power supply situation in Karachi has deteriorated to the lowest level.
|
|
|
| Back
| Send
this story to Friend | Print
Version |
|
|
|
ISSN 1563-9479 
