The industries here have appealed to the State government for relief in payment of electricity charges.
The industries were shut on May 10 in view of the State-wide lockdown to control the spread of COVID-19. With the lockdown restrictions continuing in Coimbatore district, the units are unable to operate to full capacity. However, the units will have to pay the electricity consumption charges for April and May before June 15. This is not possible for the micro and cottage industries, said Coimbatore and Tiruppur Districts Micro and Cottage Entrepreneurs Association.
The Association president, C. Sivakumar, urged the State government to provide three months time, after the lifting of lockdown restrictions, for the micro units to pay the electricity charges.
J. James, president of Tamil Nadu Association of Cottage and Tiny Enterprises, said that while the State government had given June 15 as the deadline for payment of electricity charges across the State, the lockdown restrictions continued in 11 districts and the micro units had not resumed operations. It would not be possible for the units to pay the charges now.
‘Implement HC order’
The Indian Chamber of Commerce and Industry, Coimbatore, president C. Balasubramanian said in a press release that High Tension (HT) electricity consumers were badly affected because of the lockdown and closure of factories.
The Madras High Court issued its order allowing levy of 20 % of the fixed charges as M D charges. Since last year, when the first wave of COVID-19 disrupted industrial operations, the HT consumers were asking the State government to implement the High Court order. If the order was implemented, the financial burden of the HT consumers would reduce to a considerable extent. Several other States, including Uttar Pradesh, Karnataka, and Gujarat, had waived the MD charges for HT consumers. Tamil Nadu was one of the most important States with a high number of MSMEs. Hence this support was required during this most challenging times.
