LAHORE - All Pakistan Textile Mills Association (Aptma) has stated that the Energy Management Cell (EMC) is ruining the Punjab textile industry, as it is enduring seven hours a day loadshedding rather than reducing it to zero.

Aptma spokesman said the EMC had withdrawn exemption from loadshedding to textile industry in Punjab since May 2012. It may be noted that textile industry has been exempted from loadshedding even during the load shortage of 5000MW in recent past.
He said this situation is resulting into promotion of corrupt activities at the end of DISCOs. He said the Aptma leadership called on the Minister for Water and Power last week to apprise him of the crisis in industry due to power shortage. However, he deplored that the Energy Management Cell (EMC) was presenting unworkable solutions, further detrimental to industry without realizing that closure of textile industry would hurt the industry, an important segment of the textile value chain on account of its backward and forward linkages.
According to him, the EMC has increased loadshedding duration to about seven hours from earlier six hours a day by proposing reduction of load by the industry to 40pc and 25pc during peak and off-peak hours respectively. He said the spinning and weaving mills running on independent feeders are designed on uninterrupted power supply for 24/7 and 365 days, which is not possible by reducing load either 40pc or 25pc in any case, he added.
Already, he said, some 30pc capacity is closed due to energy shortage. It is energy-dependent industry and energy constitutes 35pc of its conversion cost, he stressed.
APTMA spokesman further lamented that only the Punjab-based textile industry was exposed to severe loadshedding; as no such load management was meant for textile mills in other parts of the country.
He has urged the government to exempt the Punjab-based textile industry from loadshedding forthwith, especially those on independent feeders, in the larger interest of national economy, employment and exports. Major DISCOs including IESCO, LESCO and FESCO are realizing 100pc recovery but still the industry of these DISCOs is suffering the worst situation, he added