MULTAN:Multan Chamber of Commerce and Industry (MCCI) on Thursday appealed to the government to take immediate corrective measures to save the local industry, saying that their available raw material stocks were depleting fast and they might have to suspend operations if necessary materials were not made available timely.
MCCI President Mian Rashid Iqbal, presiding over a meeting of its sub-committee on environment, industry and energy as its convener, said that the raw material stocks industrial units had maintained would soon be utilized fully, adding that in case of no immediate import or non-clearance of import consignments, industrial units would face an extremely difficult situation.
He expressed concerns over the expected rise in energy costs. He added that exporters were reluctant to bring their earnings due to the dollar situation and termed it worrisome for the national economy.
The MCCI body asked the government to simplify procedures for issuing NOC to industry, and that the environmental protection department should be asked to take action against vehicles emitting smoke, people growing vegetables from sewerage water, and burning crops.
The body also sought action against industries causing pollution and demanded the establishment of a small industrial estate where these could be shifted.
To increase cotton production, Mian Rashid Iqbal prescribed crop zoning and termed the availability of pure and good quality seed as a prerequisite to achieving the objective.
Senior vice president Nadeem Ahmad Sheikh stressed on cutting unnecessary expenses and steps to expand the national tax base to counter the economic troubles. He also suggested a national energy policy aimed at saving energy and sensitizing people on its importance and objectives. He said that a committee comprising EPD officials and industrialists be set up to sort out environment-related issues of the industry.
Former MCCI president Khawaja Muhammad Hussain underlined the need for a national policy on auto engineering and keeping the electricity tariff low for export-oriented manufacturing sector.
Former MCCI president Muhammad Sarfraz said that government should introduce a zero markup loan facility for solar systems to counter the energy crisis.
Khawaja Muhammad Hussain said that MCCI would consult different trader bodies and industrialists and send a comprehensive set of budget proposals to the government and departments concerned for the next fiscal year.
SVP MCCI Nadeem Ahmad Sheikh, Khawaja Muhammad Hussain, Muhammad Sarfraz, Khawaja Muhammad Abdul Qadir, Khawaja Abdul Haq, Sheikh Faheem Sattar, Ammar Raza, Muhammad Daud, Murtaza Chaudhry and secretary general Muhammad Shafiq were present.