State shutdown, gas supply disrupted; Industries face losses worth crores

Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar

The ongoing conflict involving Iran, Israel, and the United States has begun affecting industries in Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar, with commercial gas supply suspended since March 5.

According to the Marathwada Association of Small Scale Industries and Agriculture (Massia) and Chamber of Marathwada Industries and Agriculture (CMIA), several companies have halted or reduced production due to gas shortages and export disruptions with Gulf countries. Industrial areas including Waluj, Chikalthana, Shendra, Paithan, Bidkin, and Auric Shendra host over 4,500 industries exporting goods worth about Rs 25,000 crore annually. With gas unavailable, many firms have shifted from two shifts to a single shift, while workers are engaged in servicing machines and pending tasks, said CMIA honarary secretary Mihir Soundalgekar. The Jolly Board Limited unit in Chikalthana MIDC, which exports around Rs 7 crore worth of goods monthly to Gulf countries, has shut operations after 24 containers from its Sambhajinagar and Solapur plants returned from ports, said project head Anil Shinde. Meanwhile, Swagit Engineering in Waluj MIDC has also closed due to gas shortage. Massia president Arjun Gaikwad urged the government to restore gas supply immediately to prevent further industrial losses.