UCPMA condemns power cuts on industry

Ludhiana, July 13, 2013: United Cycle and Parts Manufacturers Association (UCPMA), Ludhiana held a meeting under the presidentship of Gurmeet Singh Kular on Saturday and strongly condemned a recent circular issued by the Punjab State Power Corporation Limited (PSPCL), which stated that there will be three weekly off day (72hrs) on General Industry (LS) Consumers and Rolling mills (including mix load) consumers being fed from Cat-2 feeders and timings of weekly off day for General industry will be from 0800 hrs to 0800 hrs of fourth day and four weekly off day (96hrs) on Arc/Induction furnaces consumers fed from Cat-2 and Cat-3 feeders and timings will be from end of Peak Load Restrictions hours of previous day to end of Peak Load Restrictions hours of fifth day.

The meeting observed that it is utter surprise that the government has been claiming there has been unprecedented increase in the water level of   Bhakra Dam and Pong Dam and other dams in Punjab producing electricity. The inflows of the water in the reservoir are posing threat of floods in the state, in case of discharge of extra water from the reservoirs.

But the recent circular issued by the PSPCL has left the industry in the state of shock by imposing three and four days cuts, the meeting felt. The meeting observed that the recent decision will hamper the production and the industry will face huge loss due to these power cuts. It also felt that this situation will create an increase in input cost and decrease in output cost and in turns will add losses to the industry.

Further, the meeting observed that as industry is already facing recession and shortage of labour, this will further create chaos as industry cannot fullfil the orders in hand on time.    

The meeting also felt that industry is already paying ACD (Advance Consume Deposited) imposed by PSPCL, when there is no power how can department asked for ACD. Meter Rent and Octori charges should not be levied for the period when power is not supplied, it demanded.

“It is shocking that whole burden is put on the industry, the meeting felt. It sought big malls should curtail the electricity consumption or cuts should be levied on these commercial establishment and the power be supplied to the industries which give employment to huge numbers of labour.

The meeting was attended among others by Inderjit Singh Navyug, Senior Vice President, Harjit Singh Sondh, Vice President, Manjinder Singh Sachdeva General Secretary, Pardeep Wadhawan Secretary, Baljit Singh Lotey joint Secretary and Rajeev Jain.