Frequent power cuts affect jute industry

Frequent power cuts over the last 15 days in and around Kolkata has taken its toll on the jute industry.

The Indian Jute Mills Association (IJMA), the representative body of the jute mill owners, has written to Mrinal Banerjee,minister-in-charge, department of power, government of West Bengal, Sumantra Banerjee, managing director. Calcutta Electric Supply Corporation and Malay Kumar De, chairman and managing director, West Bengal State Electricity Distribution Company, seeking implementation of the 'scheduled and rationing power system’ in jute mills, to tide over the current power shortage across West Bengal. .

The system will mean a scheduled electric supply and rationing programme exclusively for the jute mills. "This will naturally put an end to the current unregulated and unmonitored power disruption and help the industry plan in a more scientific method to combat the current situation," said Sanjay Kajaria, chairman, IJMA, said in the letter.

If the government does not go for the rationing system, the jute industry has threatened to go for long-term closure of work.

The power crisis in the jute mills might result in a "mass or forced closure" of the mills in the state on a long-term basis to reduce its daily losses, Kajaria said.

The power situation had resulted in "troubles at the mill level with workmen sentiments running contrary to situations because of disruption," the letter further said.

Moreover, it had resulted in a daily rise in power costs by almost four times, as the 59 jute mills in the state were mostly thriving on generator support, Kajaria said.