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R.Y. Narayanan

COIMBATORE, Oct 4

THE frequent, unannounced power cuts in Coimbatore region is having a crippling impact on the operations of the industries with an estimated 25 per cent to 40 per cent loss in production.

The power cut, effected in different stretches totalling anywhere between four to six hours in a day, has particularly hit the continuous process industries such as textiles and foundries which lose more working hours because of the time taken to restart the operations after the power supply is restored.

Leaders of various industry associations in the city have asked the Tamil Nadu Electricity Board (TNEB) to make the power shortage public and announce specific hours of load shedding so that the industrial units would be able to continue to run the operations with power generators.

The unscheduled power cut has affected the domestic consumers as well in an increasing manner. What was earlier a one-hour power stoppage has gone up to two hours in the last few days.

It has also come at a time when the Coimbatore city is experiencing an extended summer with the mercury level remaining above normal.

Speaking to Business Line on Friday, Mr Mahendra Ramdas, Hon Secretary, Indian Chamber of Commerce and Industry (ICCI), Coimbatore, said the load shedding had hit the power intensive and continuous process industries such as textile and foundry.

On most of the days, the tripping in power supply occurred 8 to 10 times which had a crippling impact on the operations.

In his estimate, the loss in production due to power cut could be up to 40 per cent. He wanted the TNEB to announce in advance the load-shedding schedule.

If the industries were informed about the timings of the power cut, they could make alternative arrangements for power supply so that their operations would not be affected.

Mr Ramadas said the power problem had become worse in the past fifteen days. Mr Tee. Narayanaswami, President, Coimbatore District Small Industries Association (Codissia) said that though many industrial units in Coimbatore had gensets which softened the blow, running the generators pushed up the cost of production, apart from causing pollution.

The productivity also suffered because of the time spent on changeovers from EB power to captive power and vice versa.

Asked about the production loss due to frequent power cuts, the Codissia President said it was 25 per cent, with the continuous process industries being the worst hit. They had also to bear the wage cost even if the workers remained idle during the period of power cuts.

Mr D. Gandhi Kumar, former President, Codissia, said the small and tiny industries suffered additionally because bigger units cut their quantum of outsourcing because of production cuts due to power stoppages.

The small units were relying on export orders to sustain themselves, but their competitiveness suffered due to erratic power supply.

Mr R. Chinniyan, President, South India Small Spinners Association (SISSPA), Coimbatore said the member mills were facing up to 10 hours of power stoppage.

In a day, power supply tripped 10 to 12 times on an average and because of this the quality of yarn produced and labour productivity suffered. He said already the textile mills were facing recession and the unannounced power cuts had only worsened the situation.

He said till the power situation improved, TNEB should come out with scheduled power cuts.

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