HYDERABAD, Oct 22: HCCI president Haji Mohammad Yaqoob has said that against 31 per cent country-wide increase in power tariff, Hesco has increased the tariff to the extent of 45 to 50 per cent.

The tariff increase was tantamount to economic murder of the people of Sindh as it may lead to closure of industrial units and destruction of cottage industry, he said.

Mr Yaqoob was speaking at a meeting with the new and outgoing chiefs of the Hyderabad Electric Supply Company at Hyderabad Chamber of Commerce and Industry secretariat.

He said that in this modern age, there was no concept of operating industry without uninterrupted power supply but due to unannounced loadshedding, industrial production and economic activities had been disrupted.

He pointed out that heavy industrial machinery needed at least two hours to start production process but due to loadshedding, it had almost become impossible to keep heavy industry operational.

Outgoing Hesco chief Guftar Ahmed Anjum said that electricity tariff had been approved by Nepra and argued that electricity bills had been enhanced due to inclusion of withholding tax, TV license fee and sales tax.

He, however, said that according to the orders of the FBR, the amount of withholding tax would be refunded to those industrial units which had been exempted from this tax.

He said that industrial units in Hyderabad Site area would receive uninterrupted power supply for 18 hours a day but load management schedule would be observed from 6pm to 12pm.

He held out an assurance that there would be no unannounced loadshedding and the load management schedule would be strictly followed.

Mr Anjum said that power generation had decreased due to reduction in water and gas supply, forcing Hesco like other companies to resort to load management for nine hours in the urban areas and 11 hours in the rural areas. He advised domestic consumers not to operate water motors, irons and washing machines during peak hours.

He expressed the hope that situation would improve from November 1. He said that due to emergency, the leaves of SDOs and XENs had been cancelled.

The newly appointed Hesco chief K.B. Qureshi and a large number of industrialists and traders were present on the occasion.