Already reeling under an economic crisis due to the Covid-19 pandemic, the small scale industries in Punjab have got another blow after the Punjab State Power Corporation Limited (PSPCL) on Thursday imposed power regulatory measures with immediate effect till July 3.
The PSPCL in a circular issued to various industrial organizations, has decided to impose two-day weekly offs on industry, including rolling mills, arc and induction furnaces with immediate effect. Meanwhile, this has not gone down well with the local industry and they have requested the Punjab Government to review its decision and urged to exempt the penalties for violation of the PSPCL circular.
The Federation of Punjab Small Industries Associations (FOPSIA) has condemned the decision and said this will affect the working of industries and they have to bear production losses because of the disrupted power supply.
FOPSIA President Badish Jindal said on one hand the state government is claiming to have surplus power and on the other hand they curtailed office timings and imposed weekly off on industries.
He further said that this decision by the state government will impact 8,887 units across the state and most of these are raw material suppliers for industries such as furnaces and rolling mills.
Meanwhile, speaking in support of the farmers and industrialists over electricity outages, Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) President Sukhbir Badal said Punjab Chief Minister Amarinder Singh had practically reneged on the free power facility extended to farmers by refusing to provide eight-hour uninterrupted supply during the peak paddy season. He said the government even failed to fulfill its promise of cheap electricity to the industrial sector.
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AAP MLA and Youth Wing state president Gurmeet Singh Meet Hayer said that the main cause for the high cost and shortage of power was the wrong power purchase agreements made by the Badal government with the private thermal plants and the non-cancellation of the agreements by the present Congress government.
"Like the Badals, the Captain (present) government is also taking bribes from the power companies," he alleged.
Also, the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) announced to 'gherao' the Chief Minister's farmhouse on July 3.
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