Domestic power supply improves in state but no relief for industries yet
KARNAL/AMBALA: Even as power supply to domestic consumers of urban and rural areas has improved slightly, there is no relief in sight for the industrial sector so far. As per reports, industries, especially in Panipat and Karnal, are reeling under acute shortage of power and unscheduled power outage at night for the past two weeks, leading to steep fall in production.
Industrialist of Panipat, which is known as the textile city of the country and has over 20,000 small and medium-scale units of handloom products, carpets, spinning mills, fabrics involving seven lakh workers, alleged that due to poor power supply, the production has declined to around 40% in April. Bhim Rana, president of Panipat Dyers’ Association, said there is no power supply to the industries after 8pm for the past three weeks and production has dipped to around 50%. He alleged that they have taken up the issue with authorities and local elected representatives on many occasions but to no avail. Lalit Goyal, president, Panipat Exporters’ Association, said long power cuts to industrial feeders, especially at night, have affected production.
Raj Bajaj, owner of Bajaj Implements in Karnal, said, “Unscheduled power cuts have created a big problem for the industry as workers have to sit without work for hours.”
A senior officer of the Uttar Haryana Bijli Vitran Nigam said they are just following instructions under the schedule issued under the Power Regulatory Measures. The supply has improved in domestic and agriculture sectors and it will take a few more days to improve the supply to the industrial sector.