Team Herald
BICHOLIM: Around 50 owners of industrial units functioning in Bicholim industrial estate area on Saturday met electrical engineer Deepak Gawas, at his Bicholim office, and questioned him why there are frequent power cuts, which they claim are causing them huge financial loss.
According to the aggrieved unit owner, they are facing 15-20 power cuts daily.
The delegation was led by industrialists Rajendra Naik, Arun Naik, Bhagwan Harmalkar, Milind Marathe, Nikhil Dixit, Jagdish Bandiwadekar, Sahil Kamat, Hardik Karya, Banmali Korni and Anand Kulkarni.
The delegation urged the engineer to take immediate measures to stop the frequent power cuts. The delegation also urged the engineer to replace old and outdated poles, cables, machinery and also to clear the bushes and tree branches surrounding electricity cables.
The Unit owners told the engineer that they have invested crores of rupees in their business, which they cannot recover if the frequent power cuts continue.
The delegation demanded that lethargic linemen working in industrial estate area be transferred.
Bhagwan Harmalkar and Arun Naik said that they had apprised former power minister Pandurang Madkaikar regarding the situation, but the problem has not been solved till date.
The delegation disclosed that a tender of Rs 70 lakh was sanctioned to industrial estate area to solve the power crisis, but the same was not approved due to paucity of funds with the electricity department.
After listening to grievances, Gawas contacted higher authorities telephonically and it was decided to hold a meeting of industrial unit owners on October 25. The delegation is also likely to meet power Minister Nilesh Cabral on Monday.
