Proposal on load-shedding irks business community

Irked by the state government's apathy, Vidarbha Industries Association (VIA), the apex chamber of the industry in the region has strongly condemned the MSEDCL proposal to increase load-shedding and charged that the figures submitted by MSEDCL to MERC are bogus.

It has also declared that it would form a committee which will study the issue and take it up at various fora, including the Appellate Tribunal for Electricity and the High Court.

The association has questioned the relief in load-shedding given to Pune till now. MSEDCL has itself stated in the petition that the availability of captive power from 32 industries was 0.63 MU for seven hours a day when the scheme was started. It has now reduced to 0.5 MU for seven hours a day.

When captive power has reduced and the load-shedding across the state too increased how did Pune remaining load-shedding free, VIA asked. It clearly indicates that Pune was illegally being supplied power meant for rest of the state.

VIA further demand that Mumbai should treated on a par with other major cities of the state and power of private players should be utilised to reduced load-shedding in the state.

In times of such crisis equitable load-shedding should be done in the state and Mumbai should not be exempted.

VIA has urged MERC to revise the additional supply charge (ASC) as the calculation submitted by MSEDCL for 2006-07 has proved to be wrong. It will appeal to the MERC to hold a public hearing in Nagpur. MSEDCL has proposed to hold a hearing only in Mumbai.

The industry body has also asked consumers to send their objections to the VIA's office at Udyog Bhawan here.