A weavers associate in Gujarat reportedly sumbited a request seeking a reduction in the fuel surcharge levied from the powerloom factory owners.
The Gujarat Minister for Agriculture, Energy and Petrochemical, Mukesh Patel received a request from the Federation of Gujarat Weavers Association (FOGWA) to deduct the fuel surcharge by Rs 0.5 – from 2.5 to Rs 2 per unit.
At present the (weaving) industry are facing a recession period and during such a period the exorbitant power bills are major burden on the owners of units, the association mentioned in their request to the minister.
Stating that around six months ago, the fuel surcharge in the power bills received was Rs 1.6 per unit, the FOGWA president said that the same amount has now reached up to Rs 2.5 per unit after gradual increase in the prices by the DGVCL. This has resulted the production costs to increase by a notable margin as the power consumption in the powerloom factories of textiles is very high, he added.
“Once we keep our factory closed, we fear that the labourers working in the factory will leave for their native places in Bihar, Odisha and Uttar Pradesh. But if our demands are not considered then we will go on strike peacefully,” the president said.
