August 27, 2008	Wednesday	Sha'aban 24, 1429

NAWABSHAH, Aug 26: Unannounced loadshedding has put the business and industry of Nawabshah on stake since last many months. Numerous units such as sugar, cotton, and flour mills, and ice and other factories are under tremendous pressure to continue constant operations on account of outages, unscheduled cuts, and tripping of feeders.

Time and again Hesco authorities were approached for a solution but all in vain. This not only inflicted immense losses to owners but also axed the jobs of many as these industries had lost the viability to continue full-time operations.

Mohammed Iqbal Siddiqui, Director Operations, Medium Density Fibre Board, a subsidy of Al-Noor Sugar Mills, Shahpur Jehanian told Dawn that the they were exporting Lasani board in bulk and paying around Rs10-13 million to Hesco in electricity charges and another Rs13 million to the government per month. However, he was pained to say that the continuous loadshedding had put the business on tenter-hooks.

“We approached Hesco management and high-ups maintaining that the factory was in continuous process of PLC based and had a separate VVIP feeder but got no positive response,” said Siddiqui.

He said the machinery and equipments of the factory were completely closed and no more in order resulting in heavy losses for not meeting the targets. Besides, bearing the loss of raw material and chemical, and damage to electronic and computerised equipments, the workforce of 750 could hardly be sustained as many face layoff because of pestering power problems, he said.

“We have also approached Pepco authorities in this regard and are waiting for a positive response from them,” he said.

Yet, others like Haji Mohammed Aslam Shaikh, President Sarrafa Union and member Anjuman-e-Tajiran said that the business activities were virtually at a standstill with small traders facing the major brunt of it as customers are reluctant to visit shopping malls in the absence of power.

They informed of repeatedly pleading to Hesco officials to show mercy but to no avail. Now, the Anjuman will again meet them with the warning that Ramazan was round the corner and business community and consumers both might not tolerate this torturous attitude of Hesco.