Water cans crisis, price rise threat loom over city

Sources said that around 200 manufacturers associations went on strike from Sunday, demanding to rollback proposed 18 percentage of GST and steps to stop harassment by revenue officials, who pressurised to shut down the units, in the wake of fast depleting ground water. 

The situation is heading for worse, as 100 more units joined the strike on Monday. This is likely to hit supplies to retailers ultimately resulting in escalation of prices.

According to associations members, around 200 manufacturing units have been closed in Tiruvallur district alone. The members also complained that the government had sealed around 30 manufacturing units stating that companies, which do not have ISI certificate, should not extract ground water and the government should immediately stop such practices. 

“This is not first time we are facing such a situation. It has become a pattern to harass us and shut down the units. To add to the burden, the government has listed our industry under the 18 percentage slab in the GST. The government should take necessary measures and we are ready for talks,” said V Murali, president of Greater Tamil Nadu Packaged Drinking Water Manufacturers Association. He added that they themselves had already suspended around 250 unlicenced manufacturing units in Chennai region. 

Another member said, “If the government charged 18 percentage as GST, we cannot survive in the trade. Further, it will lead to price rise of water cans.” Meanwhile, residents in the city are finding it hard to get water cans and some retailers have already hiked the rates. “A vendor would usually bring water cans, but on Monday, we did not receive. When we contacted, the vendor replied that cans are unavailable and he is in search of getting cans,” said S Kumar, a hotel owner.