Chandigarh, August 29: Punjab industry has suffered losses to the tune of Rs 10,000 crore as a fallout of the Dera case verdict, according to Ludhiana-based Chamber of Commercial Undertakings (CICU). These include production and man-day losses, delay in despatch and extra charges incurred by sending cargo by air.
The chamber has demanded compensation from the state government and requested it to provide details of the losses to the Punjab and Haryana High Court.
In a joint statement, Avtar Singh, president, CICU, and Upkar Singh Ahuja, general secretary, said businesses and industrial production in the region had come to a standstill due to the incidents of violence by the dera followers.
Ahuja said the industry had failed to keep its commitment for the supply of goods to OEMs (original equipment manufacturers) and exports. The manufacturers of auto parts have not been able to supply scooter and car parts on a regular basis. “They were left with no option but to send spare parts by air, incurring a huge cost,” he added.
According to industrialists, disruption in the modes of transportation, such as trains, buses and goods vehicles, and the fall in tourist arrivals could also eat into the state government’s revenue.
Due to the ongoing unrest, foreign business delegates deferred plans to visit Ludhiana and the industry failed to get fresh orders, as per the union representatives.
News Source: http://www.tribuneindia.com
