All businesses and trades in Morbi district remained closed on Tuesday in support the ceramic industry. Industries like paper mills, transporters, corrugated box makers, traders, schools, private offices and even hawkers joined the bandh call given by ceramic industry of Morbi over issues ranging from rising gas prices to value added tax (VAT) and excise duty.
“The bandh was successful and peaceful in the city. Not only Morbi city but various industries of Vankaner, Than, Surendranagar and Vadhvan also joined with us”, said Sukhdev Patel, president of Gujarat Granito Vitrified Association.
Morbi-based Ceramic industries, which have shut down operations indefinitely over frequent hikes in gas prices, value added tax (VAT) and excise duty on products, had given a bandh call as a mark of protest.
Various associations of ceramic units along with associations of transporters, makers of packaging materials, and other allied industries associated with the sector were also joined the bandh in Morbi district.
Along with the corrugated box maker, paper mills of the city have been closed since last two weeks to support ceramic players. Over 18 paper mills have shut down their production.
“The bandh was very successful as most of the businesses in Morbi are connected with ceramic industry. We will continue our fight peacefully,” said Divyesh Patel, president of Morbi-Dhuva Glaze Tiles Association.
On transportation front, Morbi supplies 4,000 truckloads of glaze, wall and floor tiles and sanitary ware to different parts of the country on a daily basis. Besides, it also exports 60 to 70 containers of ceramic products daily, each container valued at around Rs 4 lakh. These all activities have stopped due to indefinite shut down by ceramic industry.
Sukhdev Patel claimed, “With Morbi, traders of ceramic products from Rajkot, Ahmedabad, Surat and other parts of Gujarat also closed their shops to support us.”
