LCCI seeks uninterrupted gas supply for industry

LAHORE: The Lahore Chamber of Commerce & Industry on Tuesday called for continuous gas supply with full pressure to the industries.
In a meeting with Senior Managers of SNGPL Ejaz Ahmad Chaudhry and Syed Jawad Naseem, the LCCI Vice President Tahir Manzoor Chaudhry said that most of the industrial units use gas as a major source of energy for their production. He said that unavailability of gas or low pressure would result in low production, unemployment of daily wagers and delay in export consignments.
He said that low gas pressure is like non provision of gas as it fails to run heavy industrial machinery. It hurts industry badly therefore the authorities should take all steps to keep the industrial wheel moving. He said that at a time when country is struggling to boost its exports, unavailability of gas to the industrial sector would play a devastating role. He said that how the government would be able to collect revenues to run its day-to-day affairs when the industrial wheel is coming to a halt.
He said that concerned authorities should understand that economic well-being is a must and it is only possible when business community would be able to play its due role.
He said that the industry needs a continuous supply of gas to keep the units operational and to complete the export orders well within the given timeframe.
He said zero gas pressure to the industries have severely been affecting production activities while timely execution of export orders was becoming difficult with looming danger of export order cancellation.
“It was assured that if the industrialists would take gas at an additional tariff Rs930 mmBtu instead of the old tariff, the industries would be supplied with full-pressure by entering the RLNG system. However, the SNGPL was not supplying the promised gas to industries at full pressure,” he pointed out. He said the industrialists were in favour of buying expensive gas till February but unfortunately SNGPL did not fulfill its promise.
They recalled, “The federal government committed in October 2020 to provide consistent supply of gas to industries at substantially increased tariff by injecting imported RLNG into the system during winter months to avoid low pressure and gas load shedding issues. Industrialists reluctantly agreed to this proposition in order to fulfil their domestic and export commitments,” they added.
To their dismay, they said the gas availability and pressure at various industrial areas of the city was still not suitable for production, resulting in order cancellation and loss for daily wage earners who are essential part of the supply chain.
They said remarked that apparently there was a lack of commitment to improve gas pressure and supply to industries in general and Kotlakhpat in particular which is causing lower exports and unemployment.