LAHORE, Dec 12: To the dismay of the crisis-ridden textile industry, the Sui Northern Gas Pipelines Limited (SNGPL) suspended gas supply to 100 units in War Burton on Sheikhupura Road and in Manga on Raiwind Road to bridge the imbalance between demand and supply due to the cold-wave that has swept across the country in the last one week or so.
The APTMA regretted the interruption in the supply to the export-oriented units, saying it would add to the financial woes of the industry and widen the trade deficit which is already projected to surge to $16 billion by the end of the current fiscal.
The gas utility has already stated it had to cut off gas supply to its industrial customers to meet the domestic demand during the cold weather.
A spokesman for the SNGPL said the utility was facing severe hardship in continuing supply even to domestic consumers because of increased demand and they may have to suffer low pressure due to short supply.
The SNGPL has already shut down supply to about 100 industrial units so far. The list is likely to grow if the cold-wave didn’t subside in the next few days.
In a statement issued on Wednesday, Aptma-Punjab chairman elect Akber Sheikh said the gas shutdown would weaken feasibility of the textile industry.
“Besides loss of production, the textiles mills will have to pay millions of rupees as MDI charges to Wapda for using electricity even for a single day during the month. Each mills will have to bear an extra cost of Rs10 million on account of shortage of gas for the industry over the next three months,” he said.
He feared that some mills would be forced to default on their energy bills.
“It is regrettable that the industry is being made a sacrificial goat in spite of the fact that it is most profitable customer for the gas distribution company. Disconnection of gas to the industry and diversion to domestic sector causes huge loss to the gas distribution company,” he said.
The gas utility has begun suspending supply to the industry for the last week after receiving complaints of drop in pressure for the domestic consumers.
The industry alleges that their gas supply is cut off by the distribution company without any prior notice and for unspecified periods.
The mills also complain that sudden suspension of supply makes their gas-based electric generators to trip causing damage to the generators and textile machinery.
The millers want the government to instruct the gas utility to provide uninterrupted gas to export-oriented units.
