Nashik industry bodies oppose 16-hr power cuts

Nima, Aima, LUB submit memorandum of demand to MSEDC

Reeling under the effects of 16-hour load shedding, industry associations have urged the Maharashtra State Electricity Distribution Company (MSEDCL) to free the industrial sector from the power cut.

Following a directive from Maharashtra Electricity Regulatory Commission (MERC), MSEDCL brought into force 16 hour load shedding in Satpur, Ambad and Sinnar industrial areas last month, under which a power cut that begins at 6 am and ends at 10 pm is imposed every Saturday "� known as 'staggering day'.

All industrial associations including Nashik Industries & Manufacturers' Association (Nima), Ambad Industries and Manufacturers' Association (Aima) and Laghu Udyog Bharati (LUB) have opposed the load shedding and asked MSEDCL to exclude industrial sector from the exercise.

Saturdays have been selected as staggering day as it is a weekly off for most industrial units, but about 40 per cent industries continue their manufacturing on this day too, while others prefer to carry out maintenance on Saturdays.

The load shedding routiene has badly affected industries at a critical time when industries in Nashik are seeing an upswing. As an alternative, some industrialists have suggested a division-wise power cut in industrial areas on the same day.

Speaking to Business Standard, Dhananjay Bele, president, AIMA said, "MSEDC has imposed load shedding on industries in the name of maintenance/repair works, which is unfortunate. As on December 2005, MSEDC would require just two hours for maintenance, which has suddenly gone up to 16 hours. Also, it was necessary to take all industrial associations into consideration, before taking a harsh big decision" adding, "the evening session has become particularly inconvenient for industrialists, workers and security guards as it has created a security problem. This comes at a time when the state government has promised uninterrupted power supply for industrial units."

A delegation of AIMA, NIMA, LUB and Maharashtra Chamber of Commerce, Industry & Agriculture (MACCIA) members met the superintendent engineer Kamble and submitted a memorandum of their demands.

"Maintenance and repair works have become difficult for industries due to 16 hour power cut on every Saturday in industrial areas. Load shedding time in industrial areas must be from 6 am to 5 p.m only", the memorandum stated apart from suggesting MSEDC to purchase additional power.

The delegation included Vivek Gogate, NIMA President, Dhananjay Bele, AIMA President, Rajendra Chhajed, President, LUB, Nashik and Sanjay Bodke, Chairman, Industry Committee of MACCIA.