LAHORE: The owners of textile export industries have approached court to get stay order on new power bills being prepared under the new tariff.
On 15 January the federal government has issued a notification to end its rebate on electricity bills for the export textile industry in January 2020. According to the notification, the textile mills will pay Rs20 instead of Rs12 per unit in term of electricity charges.
However, Lahore Electric Supply Company Limited (LESCO) is reluctant to accept the court’s stay order and started preparing electricity bills of the textile industries under new tariff, sources said.
The electric supply company hinted to disconnect the power connections of the textile industries over non-payment of bills and urged the owners for timely clearance of charges. LESCO sources said the stay order could not be applied over the new power bills.
(APTMA) had decided to call an emergency meeting in Lahore next week to discuss ‘options including the closure of textile mills’ as the federal government ends concessions on electricity bills.
APTMA representatives said the government’s move has threatened the closure of textile industries. Long electricity and gas load shedding has already caused the crisis in the sector and the current move will create further problems.