Over 20,000 small and medium industries in the region downed their shutters today to protest against continued power outages ranging from 12 to 14 hours, even as the Federation of Coimbatore Industrial Associations (FCIA) sought Tamil Nadu Government to supply continuous power for eight hours daily.
As part of their protest for the last one month over continued power outages, including unscheduled ones, the industries, affiliated to 20 different Industrial Associations, closed their units for a day today, resulting in production loss of over Rs 150 crore, FCIA said.
In a memorandum submitted to Chief Minister Jayalalithaa through the district collector, the Federation requested her to meet Prime Minister Manmohan Singh personally and seek at least 2,000 MW.
The Government, which has increased by one hour the power cut to Chennai, should hike it by another three hours, by which 1,000 MW could be saved and supplied to Erode, Coimbatore, Tirupur, Namakkal, the industrial and textile belts of Tamil Nadu, S Ravikumar, President, Coimbatore Tirupur Micro and Cottage Entrepreneurs Association, told reporters.
The Federation also requested the Chief Minister to include small and medium industries in manufacture and supply of free wet grinders and mixies, as part of the Government scheme, by amending the tender policy.