January 31, 2008	Thursday	Muharram 21, 1429

KARACHI, Jan 30: While more than 70 per cent of the markets and shopping centres in the city plunge into darkness after 5:00pm, industrial areas like Korangi and North Karachi too suffer from power breakdowns. However, there has been some relief for industries in the Site and F.B. Area.

Chairman Korangi Association of Trade and Industry (Kati) Shaikh Fazl-e-Jalil said that the KESC had been resorting to unannounced load-shedding for two to five hours daily for the past many months.

Of the over 3,500 units in the area only 10-15 per cent factories have stand- by generators while 10-12 per cent are captive power units, he said.

The cost of production by generators cost Rs13-14 per unit, while the KESC charges Rs9-9.50 per unit, he said adding that small and medium size units cannot afford to run their units on generators for longer duration.

“The KESC officials are avoiding meeting with the industrialists despite repeated requests for finding a solution to minimise load-shedding in industrial areas,” Fazl-e-Jalil said adding that the industrialists must know the power closure timings so that they could plan production accordingly.

Chairman North Karachi Trade and Industry (Nkati) Noor Ahmed said that for the last five to six days power goes for three times a day for one to two hours.

He said that out of 2,200 units in the area, 75 per cent have stand-by generators, which manage to meet both local sale and foreign shipments schedule at any cost.

“But definitely cost of production through power generators is high as compared to normal source of supply from the KESC”. However, he said that 25 per cent of the units do not have generators and these units become totally idle when power breaks down.

Site Association of Industry Chairman Nisar Sheikhani said that the Site area had not been witnessing any massive load-shedding and the power supply situation had improved in the area. However, in some areas there is one hour load shedding daily.

Chairman F.B. Area Association of Trade and Industry (FBATI) Idris Gigi said that load-shedding was continuing but for a very short duration.

Coming back to the markets, the sales of various items has been below 50 per cent after October 18 incidents followed by imposition of emergency, killing of Benazir Bhutto and the bomb blast in an industrial area in January in which over a dozen people lost their lives, traders said.

Further damage to the depressed sales is being done by the KESC by resorting to massive load-shedding at a time when the people visit the markets in the evening. As a result many consumers return to their homes without any shopping, they said.

“In January sales remained between 30-40 per cent in the markets owing to the power cuts in the markets and also due to poor consumers’ sentiments after various violent incidents,” Chairman Alliance of Market Association (AMA) Atiq Mir said.

In view of long power breakdowns in winter season the traders are now conscious about sales’ scenario in summer when the load-shedding usually touches its peak. “We have sought time from the KESC managing director to elaborate on the future planning to cope with the long power cuts in the summer,” he said.

Mr. Atiq revealed that the Punjab government had introduced daily load- shedding schedules for the markets. The KESC should follow suit and ensure power supply to the markets, especially after 6:00pm.

President Tariq Road Traders and Welfare Association Siddiq Memon said that 87 shopping centres and bazaars faced power cuts of four hours daily.

He said out of over 10,000 shops at Tariq Road around 3,500 had generators but it could not be run for longer durations.