Small industries seek govt help to tide over loss, damage from calamity

Mangaluru: The Kanara small industries association has requested Chief Minister H D Kumaraswamy to bail out small entrepreneurs whose businesses have been 'gravely hit' by the devastation caused by heavy rains and flooding in the city on May 29.

In a letter to the Chief Minister, the association president Gaurav Hegde said the heavy rains and floods had caused huge losses to the tune of Rs 10 crore to small and medium enterprises (SMEs) already reeling under the impact of demonetisation and GST.

The natural calamity had turned out to be a big blow to these industries, he said and wanted the government to extend help by providing adequate compensation to recover from the losses.

Hegde claimed that at least 50 to 60 industrial units were inundated by flood water resulting in damage to raw materials, finished goods, packaging materials, machines, motors, electrical panels and transformers.

Many of these industries are located at the Baikampady industrial area, the letter said.

Production at many industries had stopped for a period ranging from two to 20 days after the flooding, and without government help some of the units might not be able to resume functioning, it added.

A team from the Karnataka small industries development corporation, Karnataka industrial area development board and Mangaluru city corporation had visited the industries to assess the losses.