Notwithstanding the government go-ahead, some industry associations in Punjab on Wednesday said they would prefer not to open their factories on health concerns of their employees and asked the government to provide loans and cash credit limits to industries during this time of crisis.
Punjab Beopar Mandal general secretary Sunil Mehra said that state government had announced that the industries could restart from April 20 onwards. But, conditions for the same are very strict, he said.
Industries can take responsibilities like paying salaries, arranging transportation for labour, but how can employers take responsibility of health of workers? The government itself should take responsibility of the health of the industrial workers, he said.
D S Chawla, President, United Cycle and Parts Manufacturers Associationsaid the time is not right toopen factories as there is a great risk of people getting infected with COVID-19.
Chawla said a meeting of Ludhiana industrialists was held here on Monday to discuss this issue. There was no enthusiasm amongst them to open their industrial units.
We have not much raw material and transport is also not functional. Industry is facing acute financial crunch. Thus, how industry can run," he asked.
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Punjab Beopar Mandal's Mehra further said that government must extend full support to trade and industry, if it really wants to extend any support otherwise the industrialists would find it better to stay at home instead of getting their units functional during the lockdown period.
Mehra said the efforts made by Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Punjab chief minister Amarinder Singh have yielded results in checking the spread of coronavirus in the state. But regretted that the state power utility was issuing electricity bills during the lockdown period.
Rather, the government should provide loans and cash credit limits to industry and trade during this time of crisis, he said.
The Punjab government on Monday had said that the industrial activity can function in non-containment zone area in line with the guidelines of the ministry of Home Affairs.
Eleven different categories of industrial establishments have been allowed to operate with the condition thatin case the industrial establishment employs 10 or more persons, it shall make arrangements for stay of workers within its premises as far as possible and/or adjacent buildings.
The transportation of workers to work place shall be arranged by the employers in dedicated transport by ensuring social distancing.
Meanwhile, the Punjab Industries minister Sunder Sham Arora said the industrial units which want to start operations subject to compliance oftheguidelines issued bythe department of Home affairsandJustice, Punjabcan apply online on Industries and Commerce Department's site and start operations.
A dedicated web linkhas been created to facilitate the operationalization during curfew period, said Arora adding the concerned general managers of District Industries Centres have been authorized by respective Deputy Commissioners to issue the permissions.
The provision of permission for construction activities to be granted by the District Industries Centre, wherever authorized by Deputy Commissioners is also available through this portal.
The provision of SMS alert to investor at the time of submission and approval of application has also been made in the above portal, he said in an official release here.