Six years have passed since the foundation stone for the Kinfra Integrated Textile Park was laid at Kanjikode. However, erratic power supply- when fully operational the park would require up to 12 MW - has ensured that the project for which 165 acres of land was set aside has remained a non-starter.
The hapless investors have been left in the lurch; some have even abandoned their projects. With no takers, 100 acres out of the 165 earmarked for the textile park have now gone to other industries. Kinfra managing director S Ramnath expressed hope that the issue would be sorted out soon. “Principal Secretary (Power) has called a meeting involving the officials of the Kinfra and KSEB next week to sort out this issue. Post-meeting, a govt directive to the KSEB is expected by the end of the month,” said Ramnath.
The Kerala State Electricity Regulatory Commission had in April 2012 directed the KSEB to supply 500 KW of power to the units in the park for six months, by which time Kinesco Power and Utilities Limited was to lay underground cables and supply power. However, the KSEB moved the court against the decision.
One of the units at the park, Blaze Polypack India Ltd, and Kinesco approached the Regulatory Commission after the KSEB indicated that it would not be able to supply power to the licensee models of business at the tariff rate of Rs 3.25 per unit as it was purchasing power at a higher rate from other states and the central pool.