Lockdown: Chhattisgarh units reluctant to restart with state's riders

They say arranging transport and masks for workers is impractical, point out government's reluctance to provide power tariff exemption

Industrialists in Chhattisgarh are apprehensive about the terms and conditions put forth by the state government in allowing them to reopen their units in case the lockdown is extended.

The state government is willing to start the medium, small and micro enterprises (MSMEs) as such as move will ensure employment and supply of essential commodities. The directorate of industry on April 12 issued a letter containing the Dos and don’ts of the approval and sought the opinion of the industrial community.

The industrialists discussed the issue and have reportedly been reluctant to restart their units with the riders put by the state government, stating that the terms and conditions imposed by the state government were not practical.

“The Dos and Don’ts issued by the state government call upon units to run with 40 per cent manpower and arrange transportation for them,” said G K Agrawal, an office bearer of Urla Industrial Association. He wondered how workers would maintain social distancing while operating machines.

Asserting that the move to ensure industrial units pick and drop the workers was not practical, Agrawal said arranging masks and sanitisation for a large work force was also a big problem. The other bigger problem was of raw material and finished goods.

“Since the borders were sealed, neither could raw materials be transported (to the factories) nor could finished goods be sent,” another industrialist said. The products would finally remain dumped as goods from Chhattisgarh were normally sent to neighbouring states.

The industrialists had also pointed out the government’s reluctance to provide exemption in power tariff to industries to restart their units.