Rajgangpur: High power bills have resulted in a stalemate at many iron and steel industries in Sundargarh and the adjoining Sambalpur district and have pushed them to the verge of closure, a report said Tuesday. This has come at time when slowdown has gripped the economy in the country.
The firm owners here said they pay double the amount as power bill their counterparts in West Bengal, Jharkhand and Chhattisgarh pay. The situation is rather alarming as quite a few of them have downed their shutters while many are on the verge of closure.
The firm owners have alleged that they are paying nearly Rs 5.90 per unit of power while their counterparts in West Bengal, Jharkhand and Chhattisgarh pay Rs 2.95 per unit.
This has dealt a heavy blow to their industries when their operations are reeling under loss and the slowdown is gripping the economy.
Sources said many steel and iron-based industries came up at Rajgangpur, Vedavyas, Kuanrmunda, Kansbahal and Chikatmati in Sundargarh district and in the adjoining Sambalpur district around a decade back when the demand for steel and iron products rose in the international and national markets.
These industries ushered in employment for many tribal and educated youths.
However, an excess hike in power tariff and other problems have dealt a heavy blow to these industries.
As a result, Ashta Vinayak Engineering, Sarada Sibani Steel at Rajgangpur, Maa Laxmi Steel at Chikatmati, Raghavendra Steel at Kansbahal, Sanghamitra Iron and Steel at Kuanrmunda have closed down for this reason.
That apart, Satguru Metals and Steel at Bamra in Sambalpur has downed its shutters while many in Rajgangpur and Rourkela are on the verge of closure
The firm owners demanded that the state government intervene and lower the high per-unit cost of electricity tariff so that their industries survive and they are not forced to close down the industries.
They wondered why steel and iron industries in the state had to pay double the amount towards power tariff than their counterparts in West Bengal, Jharkhand and Chhattisgarh.
They claimed they have urged the authorities to lower the power tariff but their concerns are yet to be addressed. They said the industries could survive if the state government comes forward and takes steps to lower the power tariff by holding discussions with the firm owners.
Moreover, survival of industries ill check job loss in a poor and tribal district like Sundargarh, they added.
PNN