COIMBATORE: After a meeting with ministers for electricity, textile and MSME in Chennai on Friday, a section of spinning mills associations announced that it would withdraw the strike and resume production on Saturday.
A couple of associations, however, said they are yet to take a decision, claiming that the ministers did not give concrete solutions to their demands which include a reduction in electricity tariff and removal of import duty on cotton.
According to sources, Minister for Electricity Thangam Thennarasu, Minister for MSMEs TM Anbarasan and Minister for Handlooms R Gandhi met office-bearers of open-end and MSME spinning mill associations and mill owners who are on strike since July 15.
The industrialists aired their grievances and urged the government to reduce electricity tariffs, including peak hour charges and fixed demand charges. They also requested the government to take up their cause with the Union government. Apart from power tariff reduction, the delegation submitted a list of demands related to the minimum wages committee, and release of capital subsidy dues under the New Integrated Textile Policy 2020.
Speaking to TNIE, Open-End Spinning Mills Association (OSMA) president G Arulmozhi said the ministers gave an assurance to find a positive solution, therefore they would withdraw the strike. “Thangam Thennarasu said he would speak to Chief Minister and announce a positive result for us in the next few days. Until then, the ministers asked us to withdraw the strike and resume production,” he said.
President of Recycle Textile Federation (RTF) M Jayabal said they haven’t decided yet on withdrawing the strike. “After listening to our demands, the ministers merely said they would take up the matter with the CM and announce a decision after a detailed discussion. They just assured us to give a positive announcement on the electricity tariff and haven’t solved it yet. So, let the government first announce its decision and we shall decide on our next move after having a discussion with our association members,” he said.
More than 900 spinning mills, including OE mills and MSME units, have been on strike across the state. While OE mills began their strike on July 10, MSME mills started their strike on July 15. Sources said the mills incurred a loss of over Rs 500 crores in the past few days.