The Gujarat Gas Company Limited (GGCL) which earlier had told its industrial consumers that the gas cut would remain in force till January 31, has informed its customers in Surat, Ankleshwar and Bharuch that the gas supply has been restored from Friday and that the supply will become normal from Saturday.

SGTPA president Jitu Vakharia said that they are thankful to the state government and the GGCL management for looking into their concerns and restoring the gas supply at the earliest. They will meet the company management to bring a long-term solution to the gas supply issue.

The restoration of gas supply to over 850 gas-based industrial units in Surat, Ankleshwar and Bharuch, including textile processing units in the city, has brought them great relief.

Industrial production in gas-based units in Bharuch, Ankleshwar and Surat had come to a standstill, causing them losses running into over Rs 100 crore per day, after Gujarat Gas on Wednesday stopped the supply, citing high import cost of RLNG, severe supply shortage due to cold abroad and short supply of domestic gas from GAIL.

South Gujarat Textile Processors Association (SGTPA) had requested the state government to find out a solution to the vexed issue. STGPA office-bearers expressed fear that more than 20 financially weak textile mills may down their shutters permanently following the curtailment of gas supply.

The daily gas requirement by the 850 units in Bharuch, Ankleshwar and Surat put together is pegged at around 2 Million Metric Standard Cubic Meter Per Day (MMSCMD).

Company sources said that GGCL has succeeded in procuring RLNG from the market and thus the supply to the industrial segment in Surat, Ankleshwar and Bharuch has been restored

The industrial belts of Bharuch, Ankleshwar and Surat have more than 4,000 big and small industrial units. Out of these units, GGCL has been supplying gas to around 850 industrial units, including chemical, pharmaceuticals, dyes intermediates, paint, glass, ceramic, textile yarn, textile dyeing and printing units and textile ancillary units.