Over 100 members of FOCIA Industrial Federation submitted a petition to the Chief Electrical Engineer in Coimbatore, demanding the withdrawal of hefty power factor penalties imposed on small-scale industries and refund of collected fines.
Coimbatore: The FOCIA Industrial Federation, led by its Chief Coordinator James, submitted a petition to the Chief Electrical Engineer's office in Coimbatore, urging the withdrawal of severe penalties imposed on small and micro-entrepreneurs citing power factor reasons. The petition, signed by over 100 members, also demanded the refund of fines already collected.
The federation members stated that power factor penalties were being imposed on entrepreneurs using below 18 kilowatts without any prior notice. They expressed concern that the exorbitant fines were causing severe hardships to small business owners.
The petitioners emphasized that the Electricity Board should bring industries consuming less than 12 kilowatts under the 3A1 tariff, as per the order of the Tamil Nadu Chief Minister. They accused the Electricity Board of deliberately delaying the implementation of this order and demanded its immediate execution.
FOCIA representatives highlighted that the sudden imposition of heavy fines, multiple times the regular charges, has significantly impacted small-scale industrialists. They urged the authorities to consider the plight of these entrepreneurs and take appropriate action to alleviate their financial burden.
The petition submission saw a large turnout of small and micro-industry owners, reflecting the widespread concern over the power factor penalty issue in the industrial community of Coimbatore.