Nooribad and Kotri SITE industrialists deplore closure of gas supply

Govt should form policy to promote industries, not lead to their destruction, says JCCI president


Our Correspondent November 04, 2018
PHOTO: FILE

HYDERABAD: The Jamshoro Chamber of Commerce and Industry (JCCI) has deplored the Sui Southern Gas Company Limited's announcement to suspend gas supply to the captive power plants for three months. The JCCI asked the federal government on Friday to withdraw its decision in favour of the industries.

The SSGC has notified the suspension starting from December 1, 2018 to February 28, 2019. "The decision should be withdrawn. The government should form a policy which promotes the industries rather than leads towards their destruction," said JCCI President Malik Iqbal Ghani. The industrialists from two SITE areas in Nooriabad and Kotri are members of the chamber.

SSGC issues notices for stopping supply

As many as 28 captive power plants in Hyderabad and Jamshoro selling electricity to Hyderabad Electric Supply Company (Hesco) will be affected. These include M/S Agar Limited, M/S Hi Tech Pipe and Engineering Industries, Pakistan Oil Mills and Haji Ismail Limited in Kotri SITE and M/S Lucky Cement Limited and M/S Anoud Mills Limited in Nooriabad SITE.

The industrialists fear that in the second stage, the SSGC could impose a similar suspension of the general industries as well. Ghani said the export-oriented industries as well as the multi-national industries also operate in the two SITE areas. "The gas suspension will hit the industry".

Mian Tauqeer Tariq, former president of JCCI and its executive committee's member, said the industrialists reject the SSGC's notification, warning that thousands of labourers will be affected by the suspension. He also objected to SSGC's priority list in which the domestic and commercial consumers are placed at the first and second positions and the industries have been ranked as third priority.

LPG price reduced by Rs15 per kg

Kotri Association of Trade and Industry President Asif Memon said that at least 30 industrial units in Kotri alone generate electricity for their own consumption from gas. He contended that the SSGC has discriminated among the industries as the textile mills have been exempted from suspension of gas supply.

According to him, the SSGC is imposing the three-month suspension for the first time. "There is a clause in the contract [which the industries sign with SSGC] that if SSGC temporarily suspends the gas supply, the industries will have to arrange alternative fuel for power generation." But, he claimed that the gas powered plants in Kotri and Nooriabad are not equipped to operate on other fuels.

Published in The Express Tribune, November 4th, 2018.

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