Industrialists warn to shut factories if power shortage remains unsolved

KABUL (Pajhwok): Afghanistan Industrialists Association says that 580 factories were at great trouble due to shortage of electricity that also caused 40 million Afghanis in loss to the factories owners.

The industrialists today organized a protest gathering in Kabul.

Abdul Jabbar Safi, head of Afghanistan Industrialists Association said that entrepreneurs suffered hundreds of millions of Afghanis losses following lack of electricity since the last two months.

He said that 580 factories were partially active due to lack of electricity and their owners suffered 40 million Afghanis in loss every day.

Industrial Park requires 120 megawatts of electricity and the Da Afghanistan Breshna Sherkat (DABS) or power utility should provide 60 megawatts electricity from domestic power sources to the park, he said.

He warned that all factories would be closed if they were not provided with electricity from domestic hydropower.

Safi said that 150 megawatts of electricity was provided form domestic sources and half of the power should be given to industrial parks.

Najibullah Seddiqi, deputy head of het association, said that if the problem continued, all 580 factories would be closed and 45,000 people lose their jobs.

“We need eight lines of electricity, but if they give us four lines, we will manage it on shifts for factories,” he said.

Tafsirullah, the owner of a pipes production factory in Kabul Industrial Park, also complained about shortage of power.

“We previously had 18 hours of electricity, but we have no a stable electricity since the last few years when power pylons are targeted and blown up by some people,” he said.

DABS’ operational director, Nangyali Miakhel said that Kabul city required 500 megawatts of electricity.

He said that electricity from domestic sources was limited and provided only to healthcare centers and government organs.

In the last two months, 41 power pylons are blown up in various parts of the country that faced people and factory owners with serious troubles.

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