Small industries down shutters over power tariff hike

COIMBATORE: Nearly 20,000 micro and small industries in the district today downed their shutters protesting against the 15 per cent increase in the power tariff, even as the strike by powerloom job workers in Coimbatore and Tirupur districts entered the second day.

Responding to a call given by the Kovai and Tirupur District Micro and Cottage Entrepreneurs Association (KOTMA), the indutsries closed their units and several members joined to observe one day hunger strike, to bring the attention of the Government on their plight.

The government either has to withdraw the hike or bear the entire increase, by considering it as subsidy to the industries, S Ravikumar, President, KOTMA, who is leading the hunger strike, said.

Meanwhile, about 1.4 lakh power loom units continued their strike for the second day today, highlighting the same issue, in Coimbatore and nearbyTirupur districts.

While the closure of small industries in the districte will result in a producton loss of Rs 30 crore, the power loom strike has Rs 20 crore production loss, Ravikumar and sources in Powerloom Job Workers Association in Somanur claimed.