Mohali, Sept. 8 -- Frequent, unplanned power cuts are taking a toll on the micro, small, medium enterprises (MSMEs) in the district, affecting their production and leading to losses, accordingto the Mohali IndustriesAssociation. The body, which represents over 600 such units in the district, held a symbolic protest - lighting candles - on Monday while seeking the urgent intervention of the Punjab State Power Corporation Limited (PSPCL) in the matter. Association president Ashok Gupta said manufacturing units depend on stable and uninterrupted power supply to maintain production cycles. Unannounced interruptions disrupt automated processes and damage machinery, raw materials and semi-finished products. "The problem is worse for industries operating night shifts as they are often informed of the cuts at the last minute," he added. General secretary Rakesh Vig said, "Almost all MSMEs run on bank loans and pay hefty interest on their borrowings. When power cuts are poorly communicated, manpower remains idle, production schedules are affected and deadlines are missed. This increases the cost of production and makes it unviable for units to sell their products." Vig warned that if the situation continued, industrial units could turn sick and may be forced to consider shifting operations to other states. The association has demanded that night power cuts for industrial consumers, particularly in industrial areas dependent on continuous production, be discontinued and tripping minimised. It has also sought real-time updates on power interruptions, a dedicated PSPCL nodal officer, specifically responsible for addressing grievances of industrial owners, and a functional industrial helpline. The association further sought at least 12 hours' advance notice of planned outages so that industries can plan manpower and production accordingly....