Maharashtra: Industries to go without power for 2 days every week

MONSOON MISERY: Maharashtra is feeling the power crunch of a below par monsoon.

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Mumbai: Automobile component manufacturer Sanjay Bansal was planning to run his manufacturing unit at full capacity after he got a large order from an automobile company but the announcement of a weekly 40-hour power cut by the state power distribution company has put a brake on his plan.

“I want to expand my business but can’t because of such problems. We are paying extra money for the electricity I should get in any case and look at what I am getting in return.” Bansal said.

Forty hours of weekly load-shedding means this is what business will look like for over 6,000 SMEs in Pune. The loss incurred will effect the entire chain connected with these industries from the big players to the workers who may face reduction in daily wage.

The power shortage in the state has assumed serious proportions. There is currently a shortfall of 6,000 megawatts and the 40-hour powercut announced to deal with it will force industries to switch to a five-day working week.

A 20 percent power cut has also been announced for malls and streetlights. Power supply to hoardings and floodlights will be discontinued for 15 days and big cities can expect load-shedding of up to six hours everyday.

Meanwhile, authorities are now looking to the skies for relief. “When it rains then we can reduce the load-shedding and power cuts,” Mahavitaran MD Ajay Bhushan Pandey said.

But if the rain Gods don’t oblige, industries in the state could be facing losses to the tune of crores of rupees.