PUNE: The units operating out of Pune’s industrial belts have demanded a permanent solution to perennial power cuts and inadequate supply infrastructure to trim down production losses, which worsened to some extend on Wednesday due to the strike called by the employees of three state-owned power firms.
Dilip Batwal, secretary, Federation of Chakan Industries, said there was not much of an impact of the strike in the Chakan industrial belt, but there was a need for a permanent solution to the power issue plaguing the zone.
“We have had meetings with the ministers and power officials on the issue, but to no avail. There are issues related to power infrastructure, besides manpower, which need urgent resolution,” Batwal said.
The strike, however, affected the industrial units functioning out of the Bhosari MIDC, with more than 1,200 small-scale industrial units in sector 7 of the belt staying shut due to a power outage on Wednesday. The units in the Chakan industrial zone reported brief power cuts till the afternoon.
Sandip Belsare, president of the Pimpri Chinchwad Small Industries Association, told TOI that when they reached out to the power utility firm over the frequent supply cuts, they were told that it did not have adequate number of staffers to carry out repairs.
“The power was out in the Bhosari MIDC area for about four hours in the morning. We called up the executive engineer for help, but he told us that due to the strike, no one was available to carry out the necessary repairs,” said Belsare, adding that the Wednesday’s strike did not affect the industries much in terms of production losses or in salaries.
Sources said industry hubs like the Talegaon Dehu Road region and Chikhali faced power cuts since Wednesday morning. Industries in the Chinchwad and Bhosari areas too received intimation about power cuts.
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