Protracted rail roko protest worries industrialists

Tribune News Service

Shivani Bhakoo

Ludhiana, May 1

Ludhiana’s industrialists are a worried lot as they say the industry’s productivity is fast declining thanks to the protracted protest by farmers who are blocking road and rail traffic, affecting the industry’s functioning. The industrialists rue they have to bear the maximum brunt due to the protests as they are not getting the orders, stocks are piling up at ports and production in the factory units has fallen.

Industries trudging towards losses

• Factories are producing less and buyers are asking them to visit Delhi to receive orders
• Around 1,000 containers carry goods to the ports and back, and due to the ongoing road and rail blocks their movement is being affected
• Upset over lost business, members of the All Industries and Trade Forum had passed a resolution to oppose the farmers’ agitation
• Industries of Punjab are completely dependent on other states — 90 per cent of the iron and scrap in Punjab comes from other states, and 95 per cent of the goods manufactured here go to other states

Talking to The Tribune, SC Ralhan, president of Ludhiana Hand-Tools Association, said factories are producing less and the buyers are asking them to visit Delhi to receive orders. Ralhan said from Ludhiana, around 1,000 containers carry goods to the ports and back, and that due to the ongoing road and rail blocks, they are facing a hard time.

Ajit Lakra from the hosiery industry said business is hit because of the rail roko or a road blockade every other day. “If farmers need to talk to the leaders, they should gherao their houses, why should others suffer? If things are not improved then the industry will be forced to move to other states,” added Lakra.

It may be recalled that upset over lost business, members of the All Industries and Trade Forum had passed a resolution to oppose the farmers’ agitation.

Its members have been asked not to give financial or moral support to the farmers. The forum’s office-bearers say that the agitation is against the interests of industries and business. During the previous farmers’ movement, businesspersons of Punjab not only participated in the protests but also provided huge financial assistance to the movement, due to which it succeeded in lasting over a year.

“Many appeals have been made to the organisers of this farmers’ movement not to take steps which may harm the industries of Punjab, but the agitators continue to disrupt train and road traffic in the state. The industries in the state have already become victims of recession and the farmers’ movement is proving to be the last nail in the coffin of the industries of Punjab,” said Badish Jindal, national president of All Industries Trade Forum.

The industries of Punjab are completely dependent on other states — 90 per cent of the iron and scrap in Punjab comes from other states, and 95 per cent of the goods manufactured here go to other states.

The farmers’ movement may lead to the shutting down of hosiery, bicycle, fastener, auto parts, hand tools and garment industries of Punjab, added Jindal.

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