Hit hard by the Covid lockdowns, the Dera Bassi Industries Association has warned the Punjab government that its decision to impose power cuts would bring the industry to a standstill. “We fail to understand this situation, when Punjab, as claimed by your department, is a power surplus state and overnight the situation went so alarming that the industry has been brought under a cut of almost 30-40% of its normal demand. More so, this situation of sudden huge shortage is there only in Punjab and all other neighbouring states are maintaining regular power supply to the industry,� reads the representation given by the association to the Punjab State Power Corporation Limited (PSPCL) chairman-cum-managing director. Rakesh Ratan Agarwal, secretary of the association having over 100 industrial units as members, said that the industry is under pressure for its mere existence due to Covid pandemic, long lockdowns of the past months, labour migration issues and skyrocketing prices of raw material and commodities. The industry was struggling hard to come out of these hardships when a sudden notice for a long power cut was received from the PSPCL. The industry was not ready to bear such long power cuts, he added. Induction furnace owner Praveen Goyal said PSPCL should give full power load to the industries at least for eight hours every day during the time of power crises so that they can run their industry. The association has told the PSPCL that the large industrial power consumers cannot simply be punished because they are bulk power buyers when the government enjoys bulk of revenue and employment generation from the industry.