April 24, 2007	Tuesday	Rabi-us-Sani 06, 1428

KARACHI, April 23: Perturbed by the frequent power breakdowns — market representatives have teamed up to record their protest against the power utility company.

For instance, market representatives of 36 markets on Tariq Road have decided not to pay power bill to the KESC from this month till the utility company ensures un-interrupted power supply to the markets.

Meanwhile, Alliance of Market Association (AMA) has also decided to stage a protest in front of KESC’s headoffice on Abdullah Haroon Road on Friday at 4:00pm against the load shedding.

At a convention called by Tariq Road Action Committee (TRAC) on March 23, it was also decided that they will start protest from April 25. On the first day they will record their protest for one hour daily at the Liberty Chowk in the afternoon and will repeat it daily. Traders will hoist black flags and banners on their shops and will wear black arm bands.

Chairman TRAC, Siddiq Memon said market representatives were highly angry over the continuous power breakdowns, which had been inflicting huge losses, especially after the sunset when people start arriving in the markets. Till today Tariq Road is facing power breakdowns of four to six hours daily.

“In our 10-12 hours daily business operations markets remain without power four to six hours,” he said adding that the entire area has been suffering Rs50 million losses a day in terms of turnover.

He also criticised the NA Standing Committee for binding shopkeepers to pull their shutters down by 8:00pm.

In the meantime, retailers of battery operated emergency lights have increased the rates phenomenally to encash the situation in view of rising demand triggered by the KESC failures.

AMA Chairman Atiq Mir said representatives of 300 markets of Karachi will join the protest in front of KESC office. They will be displaying banners and erect hoardings, besides wearing black arm bands.

“In case the KESC fails to control the load shedding after the Friday protest, the AMA will announce a one day strike against the KESC by keeping the entire markets of the city close,” he said.

Now the load shedding is being carried out three times a day and buyers and even the shopkeepers really feel the pinch of absence of power, especially in the evening. The loss per day in terms of sales ranges between Rs1 to Rs1.5 billion due to load shedding.

He said very few shopkeepers have power generators but it is not a solution to fight against the load shedding as generators have a high operation cost.

President Karachi Chamber of Commerce and Industry (KCCI) Majyd Aziz said that he would take up the issue of load shedding and KESC affairs with Governor Sindh Dr Ishrat ul Ibad in a meeting on Tuesday.

He said that he would ask the governor to tell the whereabouts of the new power plant, which has been planned to start function by July. He added that he would ask the governor to take the KCCI members to the site to monitor the foundation of the plant and its surrounding infrastructure.

He said the KCCI had also asked the Managing Director Siemens Sohail Wajahat to inform the CEO of Siemens in Germany to visit the KCCI within 15 days to explain the reasons for not providing a brand new power generation plant by April 2007 as per agreement with the KESC.

The KCCI will also seek his views on the reported attempt to sell the junk equipment as brand new to KESC. “We will decide the future course of action in case the Germany based CEO does not turn up at the KCCI,” Majyd said.