Textile industry to protest power tariff hike

14 Sep '11

2 min read

Quoting it as unfavourable for textiles and all other industries, All Pakistan Power Looms Association (APPLA) has refused to accept the new electricity rates and has undertaken to launch a nationwide protest to push the authorities to roll back the recent PKR 2.04 per unit rise in tariffs.

Khaliq Qandeel Ansari, Secretary General of the APPLA, said that around 200,000 power looms throughout the nation would close down following the rate hike as the new tariff rates are not viable for cottage industries like power looms.

He sought that the Government should at once rollback its decision to hike power tariff, as it would prove detrimental and further pressurise the already ailing textile industry.

The decision, he said, has came as a shock to the business community as in place of introducing steps to curb line losses and boosting power generation capacity, the strategies seem to be formulated to add to the troubles of business community.

Several industrial units have been compelled to cease their operations following sever power crunch, he added.

Mr. Ansari said if remedial steps are not initiated, it may further exacerbate the situation rendering over one million workers unemployed due to shutting down of power looms in the country. This, he said, would even restrain the country from fulfilling its textile export target.

He raised serious concern regarding the recent rise in the power tariffs by way of a PKR 2.04 per unit rise in fuel adjustment charges and apprehended that such a rise would adversely affect the country's production and exports.

The APPLA official further stated that while severe power outages are persisting endlessly, the Government authorities are hiking power tariffs, giving rise to serious concerns for the export-oriented textile industry as well as for masses.

Textile, the country's second most leading export-oriented industry, is already facing serious financial crunch and the power and gas outages are adding to the problems, making it extremely difficult for the textile producers and exporters to fulfil their export commitments with their esteemed overseas clients.

Fibre2fashion News Desk - India

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