Hyderabad chamber demands end to outages

Hyderabad Chamber of Small Traders and Small Industry (HCSTSI) President Muhammad Saleem Memon urged the government to take action against prolonged power outages and load-shedding by the Hyderabad Electric Supply Company (HESCO), ensuring uninterrupted supply to industrial and commercial areas.

He also called for stern measures against HESCO's mismanagement and asked for improving the organisation's performance by hiring technically skilled personnel.

Memon demanded the government conduct an immediate inquiry into HESCO's irresponsible behaviour and take legal action against all officials involved in such decisions. He questioned how industries could function without power during peak working hours and how the nation's economy could be strengthened under such circumstances.

He criticised HESCO's relentless load-shedding even during the winter season, terming it unbearable for industries and traders. The announced and unannounced power outages have caused significant damage to industrial production and disrupted economic activities.

HESCO recently announced shutdowns for industrial areas from 9:00 am to 2:00 pm, which extended beyond the stated one week to over ten days. Even after the designated time, power supply often remained unavailable until 6:00 pm, further exacerbating the situation, lament the HCSTSI president.

Memon pointed out that power breakdowns in industrial areas result in the loss of production materials, causing massive financial losses for industrialists, while daily wage workers are left without earnings.

He also raised concerns over load-shedding during peak business hours in most commercial areas of the city. He pointed out that in areas like Hirabad, Pak Colony, Doctors Colony, and Jail Road, load-shedding from 6:45 pm to 11:45 pm has paralysed business activities, leaving traders frustrated and in protest.

The HCSTSI president criticised the Power Division for failing to implement effective measures despite announcements from the prime minister and federal ministers about reducing electricity costs. He stressed that unless capacity charges in independent power producer (IPP) agreements are abolished and transmission lines are upgraded, a genuine reduction in electricity prices is unattainable.

He urged the government to clarify how it plans to reduce electricity costs without addressing the existing agreements for 42,000 MW production capacity and the limited transmission infrastructure.