MADITSSIA requests TN govt to roll back EB tariff hike

MADURAI: Taking strong exception to the State government's power tariff hike, the Madurai District Tiny and Small Scale Industries Association (MADITSSIA) has pressed the authorities to reverse the decision as soon as possible. "This decision was taken ignoring opposition from trade bodies and the general public," said MADITSSIA president MS Sampath.

"Instead of studying and finding solutions to rein in losses of TNEB, the government has pushed on the burden to industries by increasing the tariff, which will surely set in motion a series of hurdles for the industry sector. Further, the decision to hike EB tariff by Rs 6 annually is also not acceptable, as the TNEB purchased power from solar and wind energy entities at cheaper prices this year when compared to the previous year," he said in a statement.

Pointing out that the small and tiny industries were already reeling under the pandemic's impact and hike in raw material prices, Sampath said the power tariff hike foreshadows a massive loss for industrial units. "We understand that the government has increased the electricity rate after a gap of eight years, but increasing the fixed charges and introducing peak-hour charges are unacceptable. So, considering the welfare of the industry sector in the State, the government should roll back the hike immediately," he added.