Panic amongst MSEs due to merging the units under PIU using billet heaters for forging

Ludhiana, June 9, 2017: Delegation of Fastener Manufacturers Association of India under leadership of President Narinder Bhamra met MLAs Surinder Dawar, Bharat Bhushan Ashu and Sanjay Talwar and apprised them of panic amongst the MSEs due to merging the units under PIU who are using billet heaters for forging.

A representation was handed over to MLAs with a request to take up the matter with Chief Minister, Punjab and to save the Industry from crises. All MLAs assured the delegation that they will take up the matter with Party President and Chief Minister and will ensure that MSEs will be given full protection.

The memorandum reads as under:
"We wish to bring into your kind notice that Industry was using furnace oil for heating the steel before forging. The furnaces oil used to generate carbon monoxide and the toxic gas was directly discharged in the air causing lot of air pollution. As a result the manpower in industry was also directly exposed to continuous health hazardous.

Also, it may be noted that the furnace oil is huge burden on foreign exchange.

Industry was encouraged to use latest clean and pollution free technology by installing the billet heaters. As this technology was latest and environment friendly the Govt. also supported for adaption and whole industry made heavy Capital investments. This indeed helped a lot on reducing the air pollution level and improved quality of products also.

On 29th May, 2014 PSPCL issued a circular that Induction Billet heaters/ Surface Hardening Machines installed shall be treated under PIU( Power Intensive Units) category w.e.f. 01.01.2014. This circular never came into the notice of the Industry and now PSPCL is doing the survey of the industry and wherever they find the billed heater they are charging the difference of the tariff rate and putting 200 percent penalty.

You are also humbly requested to take up this issue with regulator by imposing section 108 & for allowing the industry to use induction billet heaters / surface hardening machines up to 500kw without PIU category.

Looking forward to your intervention in the matter as deadline for declaration of PIU is 10.06.2017 & it will badly affect the Micro & Small Entrepreneurs."