Kulmani Gupta Highlights Power Disconnection Surge Among Noida SMEs Amid Pandemic Struggles
By The Times of India | Wed Oct 14 2020
NOIDA: The aftermath of the COVID-19 lockdown has led to a significant increase in applications from small and medium enterprises (SMEs) in Noida seeking to either disconnect their power supply or reduce their electricity load. Officials from the Uttar Pradesh Power Corporation Limited (UPPCL) reported over 100 requests for power disconnections and more than 150 applications for load reductions between July and September 2020, a substantial rise compared to the usual 50-60 requests every three months.
Kulmani Gupta, President of the Noida chapter of the Indian Industries Association (IIA), expressed deep concern over this trend. He noted that power bills constitute one of the heaviest overheads for industries. The lack of international orders since March has severely impacted many businesses, particularly garment manufacturers and exporters, leading to shutdowns or shifts to other sectors. Gupta emphasized that the industrial sector is undergoing a massive change, with the textile units being among the hardest hit.
Rajeev Bansal, National Secretary of the IIA, added that the garment industry has suffered significant setbacks due to canceled export orders, making it unsustainable for manufacturers to continue operations. The situation has led to a substantial number of SMEs suspending operations or struggling to return to pre-lockdown productivity levels.