Ranipet units hit as police stop workers at borders

Though the government allowed the units to use full workforce, most make do with 50 per cent of the normal strength, “As workers are unable to cross district and state borders,” said Ranipet Tiny and Small Scale Industries Association general secretary L Gandhijothi.

The main issue was police not allowing workers at Ranipet-Vellore district border at Tiruvalam, 3 km away from the industrial area to cross over due to quarantine concerns, a source revealed. Similarly, workers are unable to come from Bommasamudran, 25 km inside Andhra Pradesh, as AP police do not allow them to cross over either. “Another issue is that many workers either hail from Chennai or have been stranded there due to the lockdown and are unable to reach Ranipet, which is 90 km away” Gandhijothi added.

“While ferrying workers from Chennai by vans is possible, the lockdown stipulation that only seven persons be allowed in a van makes it totally uneconomical for any entrepreneur to do so,” said an industrialist unwilling to be quoted.

“Though norms like social distancing, use of sanitizers and face masks is followed, the units are forced to make do with 50 per cent of the normal strength,” added R Amirthakatesan, association president. Units are presently working to fulfill earlier orders all of which will be completed in another fortnight added another industrialist.

But, most affected are the finished leather units which were totally reliant on migrant labour. Lack of orders is thus an indirect benefit, they felt.

However, what irritates the industrialists most is the government’s 100-day employment scheme. “Though we have repeatedly requested the government not to allow the scheme within 40 km of the industrial estate, the plea has fallen on deaf ears,” complained an industrialist. “This government scheme works against the industry,” said a unit holder.

As most are export oriented units, “Our future will depend on how soon pandemic affected Europe is able to get back on its feet,” said Gandhijothi.