Members of the Federation of Coimbatore-Tirupur Job Working Powerloom Owners’ Associations have decided to convene a meeting on Sunday to plan their next course of action to oppose the hike in power tariff, which came into effect on Saturday.
The meeting would discuss the issues that would affect the powerloom sector, because of the hike in power charges.
Speaking to TOI, E Boopathy, treasurer, Somanur Powerloom Units Association, said the business had been dull for a while because of the cotton yarn price hike and poor orders. “The hike in power tariff will badly affect our businesses further.”
He said 95% of the powerloom units in Coimbatore and Tirupur districts were into job work. The job working powerlooms come under tariff 3A2 and the charge is proposed to be hiked by 70 paise per unit. Boopathy said they would discuss the ways to protest the hike in power tariff at the meeting on Sunday. “We will take a call whether it should be a temporary closure of units or indefinite strike.”
The district chapter of the Tamil Nadu Association of Cottage and Micro Enterprises (TACT), meanwhile, criticized the Tamil Nadu Electricity Regulatory Commission (TNERC) for giving a nod to the proposed power hike, despite the opposition during the public hearings.
J James, president, TACT, said the hike in power tariff would badly affect the micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs) that were limping back to business after the setbacks that were induced by the Covid-19 pandemic and raw material price hike.
