The State government, which is finding it difficult to tackle the precarious power situation, should wake up at least now and make efforts to tap solar and wind power, city industrialists suggested here on Friday.
At a meeting organised by the Federation of Andhra Pradesh Industries (FAPI), they felt the government was to blame for the present power crisis. Most of the industrial units, particularly the small-scale ones, were on the verge of closure.
There was 60-70 per cent production loss due to power holiday for three days in a week and peak hour load restrictions from 6 p.m. to 10 p.m.
FAPI president B.V. Rama Rao said it could not get any worse for industrialists who were not in a position to pay salaries to the staff, repay bank loans, and meet other statutory obligations.
Incentives sought
Unless the government offered some incentives for captive power generation such as subsidy on purchase of diesel power generation sets and waiver of VAT on diesel, it would be impossible to run the units.
The RBI should declare a one-year moratorium on loans taken by industrialists in the State, he said. The State should emulate Gujarat and Tamil Nadu in tapping solar and wind power, he said. He also alleged that subsidy arrears to industrial units to the tune of Rs.500 crore should be released immediately to offer them some relief.
Others who spoke included S. Ramanujam, A.K Balaji, and Y. Sambasiva Rao.
