a day ago
Frequent power breakdowns ailing industry
Ludhiana: Frequent load-shedding and irregular power supply is giving sleepless nights to industrialists in Ludhiana. Though the govt has been promoting Invest Punjab and ease of doing business, taking care of the basic needs of industry like power and water supply is the need of the hour.
With temperatures rising, the situation has worsened, causing substantial operational disruptions to various manufacturing units, particularly in key industrial hubs like the focal points.
The problem also lies in the outdated distribution infrastructure, especially the ageing conductors and wires, that cause power tripping.
OP Bassi, president of the Focal Point Phase 8 Industrial Association, said, "These old systems continue to hinder smooth power distribution, leading to regular tripping and breakdowns."
Explaining that the implications of even a momentary power trip are much more in the industrial sector, he said, "If there is even a one-minute power failure, it interrupts the work of electric machinery that is equivalent to an hour's downtime. In case of a 30-minute power cut, it takes up to four hours to reheat furnaces and resume operations. This is not just hurting industrial productivity but also causing massive losses to Punjab State Power Corporation Limited (PSPCL).
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Though govt representatives recently claimed that large transformers have been installed to address the issue and ensure uninterrupted power supply, Bassi said that alone is not enough. "Other infrastructure, including conductors, also need to be fixed," he added.
Echoing similar concerns, Pankaj Sharma, president, Association of Trade and Industrial Undertakings (ATIU) said, "Unannounced power cuts have increased significantly in recent weeks. The industry is already battling labour shortage. Add to that the power crisis, and it becomes almost impossible to maintain timely production schedules."
