Members of the Kovai Power Driven Pumps and Motors Spares Manufacturers Association (KOPMA) today staged a demonstration in the city seeking reduction of the GST to 5 per cent.

Led by KOPMA president Maniraju, the owners and workers of small pump and spares manufacturer units and compressor makers, raised slogans in support of their demand. DMK legislator N Karthik addressed the demonstrators.

Later, Maniraj told mediapersons that over 3,000 manufacturing units, 15,000 job working ones and 1,000 dealers had closed their shops to join the one-day demonstration.

The fixing of GST for power driven pumps and spares in the 18-28 per cent range had seriously affected their business, he said.

Though the association had met the local minister, Tamil Nadu Chief Minister and GST Council members, there has been no positive response so far.

If GST was not reduced, there would be no other go but to close down shops and there could be instances of suicide deaths as in the case of farmers, he warned.