'MSMEs to go on indefinite strike from Dec 18 if their demands not fulfilled'
James said that if their demands were not met, they would hold a human chain with the participation of all the workers on December 4.
The association of MSME sectors staged a hunger strike on Monday.
CHENNAI: Tamil Nadu Industrial Electricity Consumers' Federation chief coordinator J James on Monday announced if the government fails to fulfil their demands for an electricity tariff hike, they would launch an indefinite strike from December 18.
Addressing the day-long hunger strike at Egmore Rajaratinam stadium here, he said that the federation has decided to conduct a three-phase protest seeking to roll back a hike in the fixed charges in electricity tariff for the LT industrial consumers and peak hour charges permanently. They also want the government to do away with the rooftop solar network charges and drop the plan for yearly electricity tariff hikes.
"When few MLAs raised a call attention motion on our demands in the Assembly, Ministers dismissed gave an indifferent reply. On November 6th, all the entrepreneurs will meet their respective MLAs in all the 234 Assembly constituencies to submit their representations and urge them to raise the issue in the assembly, " he said.
James said that if their demands were not met, they would hold a human chain with the participation of all the workers on December 4.
"Even then if our demand remains unfulfilled, we will go on an indefinite strike from December 18 until the government fulfils their demand, " he declared.
It may be noted that the consumers' federation held a day-long shutdown protest on September 25 over the electricity tariff issue. Day after the protest, MSMEs Minister T.M. Anbarasan and Industries Minister TRB Raaja held talks with representatives of the MSMEs association and assured to resolve their grievances by taking it up with the chief minister.
On September 29, Tangedco chairman and managing director Rajesh Lakhoni along with various department secretaries held talks with the MSMEs again and made it clear that peak hour charges would not be collected until the smart meters were installed and would consider reducing solar network charges. They rejected the demand for reducing the fixed charges.