15,000 jobs at stake as PEPCO

LAHORE: At least 15,000 daily wage-earners will lose their jobs, following Pakistan Electric Power Company’s (PEPCO) decision to suspend supply to furnaces across the country, resulting in a loss of around Rs7.5 million per day to the economy, sources said.

At present, around 150 furnaces, including 70 in LESCO, 10 in IESCO, 10 in PESCO, one each in MEPCO and HESCO, four in QESCO, 40 in GEPCO and around 15 in TESCO are operating on PEPCO’s power system, The News has learnt.

The furnace owners have not only asked the daily wage-earners, but many of the regular and contract employees to stay at home, the sources said.

The economic loss incurred due to expulsion of these workers is other than the daily wage-earners.

The governmentís decision not to supply power to furnaces will have a negative impact on around 10,000 families, as 70 per cent of the labourers are the sole bread earners of their family.

Several owners were of the view that due to the non-supply of power to furnaces, several daily wage-earners will face a daunting task to fulfill their daily needs, at a time, when inflation is on the rise.

The policymakers in Islamabad must take urgent measures to rectify burgeoning energy crisis by adopting lucrative policies, they said.

Expressing reservation over the governmentís decision, domestic consumers, who have been given a relief of two hours, termed it an entirely imprudent decision.

Furthermore, power cut to furnaces have also enhanced the prices of iron in the local market.

When contacted, Director General, Energy Management and Conservation, PEPCO, Engineer Muhammad Khalid, said the power supply to the furnaces would be resumed from April 16, following an understanding reached during a recently held meeting with the Steel Melters Association of Pakistan. The officials of the Steel Melters Association have assured their full support, he said.

Mohsin Javed, Director of a furnace at Shadipura, Lahore, told The News that the decision to resume power supply to the furnace is still pending, as he has briefed the Punjab governor about the situation and awaiting his response.

Here a question arises, whether the government will continue the existing schedule for power cuts after resumption of supply to the furnaces on April 16, or again switched to the previous schedule of 11 hours daily, as the power producing companies are unable to generate additional power.

Source The News