Power outages hits Hyd local industry

Deplores electricity shutdown from 9am to 2pm daily

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HYDERABAD:

The business community has decried resurgence in the power outages, affecting trade and industry in addition to the domestic consumers in Hyderabad.

In a statement on Tuesday President of Hyderabad Chamber of Small Traders and Small Industry (HCSTSI) Muhammad Saleem Memon deplored that Hyderabad Electric Supply Company (HESCO) has announced the shutdowns for industrial zones from 9am to 2pm every day.

However, he claimed that the outages continue up to 6 pm even after the designated time. "Such 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 observed. The chamber's president urged the federal government to conduct an immediate inquiry into HESCO's irresponsible behavior and take legal action against all officers found responsible for harming trade and industry. "How can the industries function without power during the peak working hours?" he questioned.

Memon pointed out that electricity's demand during the winter season drops by 40% but still HESCO is unrelenting to cut the outages. He contended that for years the citizens and the business community had raised the same issues of the power outages with the government but after all those efforts it is evident that the company lacked the technical capability to operate efficiently.

Meanwhile, MNA of Muttahida Qaumi Movement-Pakistan Syed Waseem Hussain, who is also a member of the National Assembly's standing committee on energy was assured by acting chief executive officer of HESCO that their concerns would be addressed.