Industries' captains threaten to use NOTA if demands not met

COIMBATORE: Captains of Industries and Commerce in this industrial hub today warned that they would consider using provision of None Of The Above in the voting option during the forthcoming polls if the Lok Sabha candidates failed to provide a firm assurance on implementation of their charter of demands.

They accused successive governments at the Centre and the State of meting out step-motherly treatment to the region's infrastructure development and air connectivity.

Talking to reporters here, R R Balasundaram, President of Indian Chamber of Commerce and Industry, said Coimbatore and nearby areas have more than 50,000 small and medium scale industries besides production units of major MNCs.

But the governments had failed to provide major infrastructure or International air connectivity needed for the city's development, he said.

Balasundaram wanted the Centre to create a National Investment Manufacturing Zone in the city with an investment of Rs.10,000 crore in 5,000 acres with all facilities.

The Chamber is organising a meeting with all candidates on April 4 to elicit their views on the issues raised by the captains of the industrial city, he said.

"Somewhere Coimbatore has missed the attention that we deserve to get", Rajshree Pathy, Vice-Chairman, South India Chapter of CII, said. Though Coimbatore is the second largest city after Chennai, it has not got proper attention from the powers that be, when compared with cities like Madurai and Tiruchirapalli, he said.

South India Engineering and Manufacturers Association President, Thiagarajan said despite having an innovation fund under the Centre, lack of delivery mechanism was seen as an obstacle to get it for the industries here.

K.Ilango, President, CII, Coimbatore Zone, said delay in clearance for land conversion, environmental clearance and also power connection, were the main bottlenecks faced by the industries in the region and the state.