West Bengal jute industry seeks permission to work during lockdown

West Bengal based jute industry on Saturday urged the Central government to allow the operation of mills as the workers can maintain social distancing while on work in factories during the lockdown.

"The jute industry saw its revival in the last few years with the Central government's promotion of jute bags instead of plastic bags. However, since the lockdown was imposed due to the coronavirus, the workers of the jute industry are again on the verge of losing their jobs," Shiv Narayan Basu, Director, Basu Jutex, in North 24 Parganas, told ANI.

Talking about the Central government's norms of maintaining social distancing and sanitisation to prevent the spread of the coronavirus, Basu said: "In jute factories, each machine is set at a metre's distance from the other. Thus, social distancing is maintained even otherwise."

"I urge the Central government to allow the jute industry to function," he said while adding that the jute industry is important during these months as it is time to harvest rabi and kharif crops.

He said: "There are several crops like wheat, potato, onion, etc., which cannot be packed in plastic bags. These need to be packed in jute bags and only then can be taken to vegetable markets."

The lockdown has also hit the export of jute from India to other countries.

"For the past couple of years, we were getting good amount of orders from abroad. However, due to lockdown imposed in almost all countries, the packs that were ready to be shipped off are now lying in our godowns," added Basu.

The 21-day nationwide lockdown, which was announced by the Prime Minister last month to check the spread of the coronavirus, will end on April 14.

The total number of positive coronavirus cases across the country is 7,529. Total deaths due to COVID-19 stand at 242, as per the data provided by the Union Ministry of Health.