KARACHI: Gas supply to industries is likely to improve by the end of this month, Acting Managing Director Sui Southern Gas Company Ltd (SSGCL) Mohammad Wasim said on Friday.

Addressing members of Site Association of Industry (SAI), the SSGCL official said closing down of gas supply to industries on Sundays is the utility’s last option.

In case SSGCL does not close gas supply to industries on Sundays, the units would face problems throughout the week, he warned.

For the purpose of supplying gas in required pressure, lines are being checked simultaneously with load checking of industries in coordination with the association, he said.

Mr Wasim directed his team to resolve issues of industrialists on priority basis and give proper time frame for resolution. On the issue of excessive billing, he said SSGCL would review all such bills.

Patron-in-chief Site Associ­ation Siraj Kassam Teli said that non-stop working of industries throughout the week is the only way to boost exports. “SSGCL must ensure uninterrupted gas supply to industries,” he said.

SAI President Saleem Parekh said SSGCL is making it difficult for industrialists to run their factories on the pretext of gas shortage. “Earlier, industries were facing low gas pressure issue but now if someone runs his factory on Sunday, he is charged with ‘gas theft’ notice. Our members are reluctant to approach SSGCL,” he added.

He urged the gas utility company to allow Site industries to run on Sundays so that deadlines for export orders are met.

Exporting units lost 295 working hours in January 2019, resulting in huge losses, he claimed.

SAI Patron Zubair Motiwala, former Site chief Jawed Bilwani and former Site president Younus Bashir also addressed the meeting and shared their concerns regarding gas supply issue to the industries.

Published in Dawn, March 16th, 2019