Small spinners seek remedial measure to tide over lockdown

Coimbatore, Apr 20 (): South India SpinnersAssociation (SISPA), representing the MSME spinningindustries in Tamil Nadu, on Monday asked a state Ministerfor remedial measures to safeguard industries as well as thelivelihood of lakhs of workers. In a letter to the state Electricity Minister KThangamani, SISPA president N Murugesan requested him tosanction six equal instalments for payment of electricitybills for March 2020, irrespective of the consumers (LT, LTCTand HT) without levying belated payment surcharge(BPSC) or any other additional surcharge.

Or otherwise it may be deducted from the additionalcurrent consumption, Murugesan said.

In view of MSME industries using power only for securityand lighting purposes, and not consuming the entiresanctioned demand, the minister should advise TANGEDCO tocollect the minimum electricity charges for the recorded(actual) demand and not for the sanctioned demand during thelockdown period, he said.

SISPA also requested the minister to adopt the sameprocedure for at least six months, since availability ofworkforce and saleability of finished product are uncertainafter the lockdown period, which would help overcome thefinancial crisis after the post-shutdown.

The 40-day nationwide lockdown, closing of bordersbetween districts and states has affected the highly labour,capital intensive textile spinning sector and has affectedthe revenue of the entire textile value chain.

Considering this, SISPA requests the Minister to kindlysupport at this critical moment to safeguard the industriesand the millions of the workers in the nation and issuesuitable orders to TANGEDCO as early as possible, Murugesansaid NVMNVG NVG