Cuncolim industries body demands 24x7 power supply

the goan I network
MARGAO
Asserting that the power scenario at the Cuncolim Industrial Estate has gone from bad to worse over the years, the Cuncolim Industries Association has made a fervent plea to the government to give the industries at the Cuncolim estate 24x7 power supply and facilitate the smooth functioning of the industries.
Agitated members of the Association warned that they will have no option than to hit the roads to lodge their protest over the government's apathy and neglect in toning up the power infrastructure at the Cuncolim industries.
"How can any industries function to its optimum capacity when there's average power outages of four hours a day. Our equipments are deteriorating, production quality has suffered and the yield has taken a beating because of constant power outages. We have not been able to dispatch the product to the market," asserted Industrialist and member of the Cuncolim Industries Association Sameer Keni, while wondering why Cuncolim Industrial estate does not figure in the agenda of the government, which has promised to improve power infrastructure at Calangute and Candolim.
Addressing the media on Wednesday, Keni said that customers have begun to loose faith in the industrialiss. "Many of the smaller units are on the verge of getting closed down. As a first step, we will have no option than but to retrench labour, which may be a loss to the labour as well as the society. There are some industries which have shut down. The industries are suffering losses because of power failure. This is not just a loss for the industrialists, but a national loss," he said.
Keni said the power department had moved a proposal to tone up the power infrastructure at the Cuncolim Industrial estate, which is presently lying with the Power Minister. He, however, hastened to add that such proposals have come and gone during the last 20 years without providing any relief to the industries.
What has agitated the industrialists was that the power infrastructure has not kept pace with the requirements though the industries had contributed Rs one crore to tone up the infrastructure.
"Our demand is simple. Give us 24x7 power supply so that the industries can function uninterrupted. The previous BJP government had promised to give us world class infrastructure. This is certainly not world class infrastructure," Keni said, adding that the industries are indeed looking forward to the government to make available the promised world class infrastructure.
Keni said that around 35-40 industrial units out of the total 80 units have already shut shop at the Cuncolim Industrial estate, adding that the situation would only turn worse if the government does not step in and stem the rot.
He lamented that not a single street light or the high mast lamps installed in the industrial estate is functioning and nether are there any dedicated linesmen deployed at the Estate to attend to the power woes.