Industry apprehensive of decision to start units

Shivani Bhakoo

Tribune News Service

Ludhiana, March 29

Even as Industry Minister Sunder Sham Arora today announced that units can run operations on the condition that they follow proper guidelines, most industrialists said it was not possible to start production given such strict conditions and almost no orders and raw material.

We may accommodate four or five persons but 50-70 workers cannot be accommodated in a factory. Secondly, we have got no health facilities in case someone falls sick. There are two reasons for this decision. First, the state government does not want to waive the fixed charges on power (on industrial units). Second, migrants are fleeing and many of them are stuck on borders. To deal with this problem, the state government wants to put entire liability on industrialists, which is unfair. Badish Jindal, FOPSIA president

Talking to The Tribune, FOPSIA president Badish Jindal said big industrial houses could provide board and lodging facilities, etc, but not all have similar facilities. “We may accommodate four or five persons but 50-70 workers cannot be accommodated in a factory. Secondly, we have got no health facilities in case someone falls sick. There are two reasons for this decision. First, the state government does not want to waive the fixed charges on power (on industrial units). Second, migrants are fleeing and many of them are stuck on borders. To deal with this problem, the state government wants to put entire liability on industrialists, which is unfair,” said Jindal.

Rahul Ahuja, president of CII Punjab, said the decision taken by the Punjab Government to allow willing industries to run was based on factors that mass exodus had happened in Delhi and very soon could happen in Punjab also.

“It will be Corona disaster if labour starts moving out to native places in large numbers. Apart from this, home quarantine is an absolute disaster in labour colonies, vehras and gali mohallas. Industrial quarantine means the permitted manpower will stay within premises, and food and all essential supplies will be managed in-house. The risk will be definitely decreased because of limited number of people they will come in contact with. On submission of application and self-declaration to strictly follow guidelines on Covid 19, industries can run units, which seems to be a tough task and onus will be on employers,” said Ahuja.

At the same time, Pankaj Sharma, president of Association of Focal Point Inds (Regd), said the decision was absolutely a wrong one. “Although it stipulates that only those factories will be allowed to function where labour resides on premises, it is very difficult to check this. When one factory starts operations, within a few days, half the factories will also become operational, irrespective of labour staying in factory or coming from outside.

“Unfortunately, there is no sense of self-discipline among most people, even among educated ones. We have seen police beating people for defying curfew. We have seen people coming from foreign countries but not going for home quarantine, endangering the lives of hundreds others.

“This decision, if implemented, will be disastrous. Let us learn a lesson from the countries like the US, Italy, France and the UK. We are taking the Covid pandemic very lightly and it can be very dangerous,” said Sharma.

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