KARACHI, Aug 2: While all industrial estates suffer from worst power crisis after rains, the Site area excels in losses compared to others where industrialists are reported to have incurred a production loss of Rs5 billion because of 72-hour power breakdown in 80 per cent of the area.
Export-oriented units were also in trouble for not meeting export commitments on time.
On Sunday last at 2:00pm, the KESC discontinued power supply to the Site area on the plea of heavy rains. However, the utility company failed to restore the same till Wednesday to the area where more than 3,000 industries are located.
Chairman Site Association of Industry, (SAI) Ameen Bandukda warned the authorities concerned that if the power supply to SITE area was not restored immediately the management will close down factories, lay off the workers, and stop payments to the KESC and would claim damages from the utility company for production losses in SITE area for the last three days.
He said that a history had been created in depriving the Site area of power for the last 72 hours. The KESC is not ready to give the proper answer, which shows a complete chaos in its functioning, he added.
Privatisation of the company had been aimed at improving its efficiency and working conditions but unfortunately recent power breakdowns showed marked deterioration in the quality of service and supply, he said.
Ameen said that the KESC was facing numerous problems but it must be recognised that such a deplorable situation had never arisen in the industrial area before. The manufacturing sector in Site area contributes 30 per cent of the economy and it is necessary that the KESC maintains uninterrupted power supply to the area.
He urged the president and the prime minister to take serious note of the power crisis and issue strong directives to the KESC management to resolve the same.
Chairman Korangi Association of Trade and Industry (Kati), Gulzar Firoz said that production in five sectors like 7A, 15, 16, 23 and 24 in the area had declined by 50 per cent owing to lack of electricity for the last two to three days.
Even in other sectors suffering from power breakdowns production had been average. Rains had destroyed roads (entry points) to the Korangi industrial area and the transporters were hesitant to plying on the pathetic roads. As a result the attendance of workers is not yet normal after Sunday’s rain.
He said that the government and even the KESC had not made any emergency and contingency plans before the rains lashed the city.
He urged the City Nazim Mustafa Kamal to first improve the situation at the main points (roads) where standing water and ditches have created hindrance to free movement.
Chairman North Karachi Association of Trade and Industry (Nkati), Dawood Usman Jhakoora said that load-shedding still persisted in the area but its intensity was low as compared to Monday and Tuesday.
He said that Wednesday’s rains had again played havoc in the industrial area, plunging the production to below 50 per cent. He said attendance of workers was very low owing to traffic jams and blockades in traffic movement caused by standing water and deep ditches after the rain.
Chairman Taxation Committee F B Area Association of Trade and Industry (Fbati), Muzzamil Hussain said that the situation in terms of power supply was almost same as existed in the Site area. He said that production had declined by 50 per cent owing to frequent power breakdowns and only those units might not be facing problem, which have installed their own generating units.
He added that night shifts had almost been suspended owing to uncertain power supply situation in the aftermath of continuous rains.