APTMA rejects raise in electricity, gas tariff

0
109

The National Textile Industry has out rightly rejected the government’s decision of any further increase in gas and electricity tariff warning that implementation of such would bring the country’s industry to the edge of virtual destruction.

The chairman of all All-Pakistan Textile Mills Association (APTMA) expressed his strong concerns at the way the largest and shining export industry of Pakistan was suffering due to accursed load shedding; especially more than 10-hours of load shedding in industrial sectors of Punjab and Northern areas forcing these hapless victims to resort to more expensive alternate means of energy which raised production costs.

The textile industry magnates have cited the already enormous tariff standards by global standards, which amount to $ 0.1654 per kilowatt, compared to India’s $ 0.991, Bangla Desh’s $0.92681, Sri-Lanka’s $0.9089, and Veitnam’s $0.730.

He also pointed out that textile industry provided 38pc of nation’s employment, which was in danger of suffocation due to this tariff increase of electricity, while also endangering the quantum of exports; since textile industry delivered 55pc of share in national exports.

The APTMA chairman also strongly voiced against increase in tariff through power distribution companies adding pilferage and line losses in billings to regular and honest consumers, which would ultimately force these entrepreneurs to relocate to abroad.

He cautioned the government to review this increase in electricity tariff, and ensure that NEPRA should avoid victimising innocent and helpless consumers to pay for NEPRA’s weakness of failing to control its line losses and pilferage of electricity.