NASHIK: A large number of factories, that have acquired
permissions
from the government, are yet to restart industrial operations. In Nashik only 50% of the industries, which have taken permissions, have started work, the number in Kolhapur is closer to 40%.
While in the Nashik city limits, transportation of industrial workers in the sticky point, foundries in Kolhapur are unwilling to start work due to MSEDCL’s fixed power tariff.
A large number of factories in the Satpur and Ambad industrial estates of the MIDC, which are located in the jurisdiction of Nashik Municipal Corporation (NMC), are yet to start operations as they are unable to work out a feasible way to transport the industrial workers.
As per government guidelines, the factories must have dedicated buses for the workers — with one person allowed on one seat. The industries within the city are finding it difficult to implement the clause and want the government to allow workers to use two- or four-wheelers.
“It is very difficult for the industries in the city to bring their workers by buses. They don’t have adequate buses,” said Manish Rawal, a senior member of the Nashik Industries & Manufacturers’ Association (NIMA).
“Though 3,127 industrial units successfully uploaded their self-declarations and got permissions to start operations, only 1,627 units have started work and they are mostly in the rural areas,” said Nitin Gavli, Nashik regional officer, MIDC.
“The industries in rural areas have their own buses,” added Gavli.
When contacted, Tushar Chavan, secretary-general, NIMA said the association is pursuing the issue with the state government.
“We have already sent a letter to state
industry
minister Subhash Desai. He will be in Nashik on Wednesday and we plan to meet him and urge him to relax the transporting norms,” said Chavan.
Even in Kolhapur district, of the 667 industries that got the
permission
, only 261 had started production till Tuesday.
District guardian minister Satej Patil requested all the remaining industries to start operations on a priority basis as it will help in reviving Kolhapur’s economy.
“The district administration and state government are taking steps to assist the industrialists and ensure that they continue their production. The 261 industries have started operations with only 1,334 employees,” he said.
Meanwhile, some of the industries are coming up with demands that the government should waive off the fixed power tariff charged by the Maharashtra State Distribution Company Limited (MSEDCL).
The Kolhapur wing of Institute of Indian Foundrymen held a meeting with MLA Chandrakant Jadhav and informed him about their decision to not start the operations till their demand is met.
“We pay power bills varying from Rs 25,000 to Rs 10 lakh depending on the capacity of the foundry. All business activities were halted for more than a month due to the lockdown and if we start our operations, it will take some more time for us to gain momentum and get new orders. In this situation, we will not be able to pay the electricity bills,” one of the representatives of the association said.
“The state government has deferred the collection of fixed tariff from industries for three months, but we want the government to waive off the fixed tariff to help the foundries survive and flourish,” he added.
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