The Tamil Nadu Chamber of Commerce and Industry has strongly deplored the deteriorating power situation in the State and has urged the Government to take steps on a war-footing to “save small scale units from extinction.”
In a statement issued here, its senior president S. Rethinavelu said that while the Chief Minister’s assurance in the Assembly to wipe out power deficiency by the end of 2013 offered some solace to the beleaguered industrial sector, drastic measures must be taken to enable small units to survive till that period.
As such, the long duration of power cuts touching nearly 16 hours every day would force into bankruptcy thousands of small units in the State, except those at Chennai which even now face only two hours of load shedding.
This would result in a sharp increase in unemployment in the State. Further, many large units have already planned to shift to other States to start new ventures.
The trade body also frowned upon the preferential treatment being given to the State Capital at the expense of other districts thereby denying a level playing field.
Mr. Rethinavelu also suggested that Floating Power Plants with high power generators that is available in U.A.E. could be hired.
