Job-working power loom unit owners in Coimbatore and Tirupur districts will stage a protest at Somanur on January 21 (Wednesday) and observe fast from Thursday to Monday (January 22 to 26), demanding withdrawal of the recent power tariff hike.
P. Kumaraswamy, secretary of Coimbatore District Job working Power loom Owners' Association, said this was decided at a meeting at Somanur on Sunday.
Memorandum
About 1.5 lakh job working power looms in Coimbatore and Tirupur districts were on strike since January 7 and had also submitted a memorandum to the Chief Minister. However, since there was no announcement from the Government they have decided to intensify the protests. The production loss because of the strike is estimated to be Rs. 30 crore a day.
Power cost
“This is to draw the attention of the Chief Minister,” he said. The master weavers will not increase the wages paid to the job-working units immediately. Hence, the units will have to bear the additional power cost.
The State Government should either withdraw the recent power tariff hike or provide subsidy for the units towards the additional tariff, he said.
