After the slowdown in industrial production, the acute power crisis in Uttarakhand has compounded the worries of industry in the hill state.
From the pharma cluster in Dehradun to top corporate houses like Tata Motors and Bajaj Auto at Pantnagar, all are adversely affected by the deepening power crisis with the Uttarakhand Jal Vidyut Nigam— the state-run power generating company— producing 6 million units less than normal during the past 2-3 days.
The total demand in the hill state has reached 33-35 million units against the availability of only 25 million units per day, creating a huge shortfall.
Industrialists claim they are facing 10 to 14 hours of unscheduled power cut on a daily basis.
Chief Minister Vijay Bahuguna has stated the government would buy power from outside and not allow any power cuts, especially in Haridwar and Dehradun.
The Uttarakhand Power Corporation Limited (UPCL), the sole power provider in the state, is resorting to rostering in industrial towns.
Worried pharma industrialists had met UPCL Managing Director A K Johri and expressed their anguish over the deteriorating power situation in the state. “We have lodged a strong protest with the UPCL,” said Pramod Kalani, President of the Drug Manufacturers Association of the Uttarakhand pharma cluster.
“We have warned the government that the huge power cut will paralyse the industry in the state,” said Pankaj Gupta president of the Industries Association of Uttarakhand (IAU), a body of small and medium enterprises.
Amid long dry-spell, Uttarakhand is reeling under acute power crisis, the worst since the hill state was carved out in 2000, with the government finding it difficult to bridge the yawning gap between the demand and supply.
The industry in the hill state is badly hit by the power crisis which in turn is affecting industrial production in the hill state especially at Pantnagar and Haridwar, the two main hubs of the industry.
“Our steel industry is facing 10 to 15 hours of power cut daily,” said Yogesh Jindal, head of the KVS Steel at Kashipur in Kumaon region.
