PESHAWAR: (Roshaan Khan) According to the President of the Malakand Chamber of Commerce and Industry Inamullah, industries in Malakand are under a serious crisis of electricity voltage, which is threatening to close down a number of factories in this region.
Inamullah speaking to the media stated that industrial units, such as steel mills that have been functioning in the Malakand Industrial Zone, have been experiencing critically low voltage throughout the last five months. He clarified that High Tension (HT) line needs 11,000 volts but the industries are only receiving 9, 500 volts and in some cases 8,000 volts. Consequently, Low Tension (LT) supply has reduced to only 350 volts as opposed to the 440 volts required.
He claimed that the low voltage persistence and the frequent oscillations have grossly interrupted the industrial production, raised the unit costs, prolonged the production cycles, and incurred repeated damages to the costly machines. Provided that the situation persists, a significant number of factories will be closed and mass unemployment will occur, as well as a severe damage to the national economy.
Inamullah alleged that industrialists have offered a number of applications to WAPDA officials and other relevant authorities but nothing was done to act upon it. He cautioned that the owners of industrial units, labor unions and the local residents are planning to initiate a protest movement unless the problem is solved forthwith.
He had directed the government and WAPDA, to act immediately and fully supply the industrial zone with all the voltage, failure which they would be answerable to any consequences caused.
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