Industry bodies hope PM's address will help stop exodus of workers

Haryana,Business/Economy

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Gurugram, April 21 (IANS) Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who addressed the nation on Tuesday in which he assured that no lockdown would be imposed, has provided hope to the industries association in Gurugram that the mass exodus of migrant workers will stop.

During his address on Tuesday the PM had urged the labourers and workers to remain relaxed and keep doing their work as there is no need to panic.

The representative of industrial associations in Gurugram told IANS that the lockdown in Delhi due to the sharp spike in Covid-19 cases starting from Monday has panicked the labourers. Workers employed in industries and construction work have started leaving fearing a repeat of last year's situation, despite repeated assurances by the state government.

Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar said on Tuesday that industries in the state will not be affected like last year and work would not be hampered.

Factory owners in Manesar, Udyog Vihar and Sector-37 said that at least 20 to 25% of the workers have left the city and they expect more to leave, as the decision of the Delhi government to announce a lockdown and the enforcement of a night curfew in Haryana led to panic among migrants.

It is estimated that thousands of labourers in groups have left for their native places. Huge numbers of people are leaving the city in private buses from Rajiv Chowk, Sector-12, Sector-37, Sector-34 and Khandsa for UP, Bihar, Chhattisgarh and Madhya Pradesh.

"Lockdown in the national capital has triggered panic among the workers. Despite our assurance the labourers are leaving Gurugram. Several workers from Udyog Vihar and Sector-37 industrial area have left the city fearing lockdown in Haryana. The mass migrant exodus will hamper ongoing production in the industries," KK Gandhi, President Sector-37, Industrial Association told IANS, adding that we hope the Prime Minister's assurance about no lockdown will give some confidence to the workers and the mass exodus will stop.

"Industries are worried about migrant exodus as at export houses maximum labourers are from Bihar, who are expert in garments. If they keep going to their places it will surely hit the garments industries hard. The closure of markets in Delhi has already stopped raw material supply and lack of workers will further hit industry badly," said Gulshan Chug, a garment unit owner in Gurugram.

Pawan Yadav, president, IMT Industrial Association, said that workers should not worry and industry will support them if a difficult situation arises.

"We have urged the workers not to leave the city. Even we are informing them that the Haryana government has assured there will be no lockdown in the state. But now after the Prime Minister's assurance about no lockdown we expect that the workers will accept the PM' word and will stay here," Yadav told IANS.

Taking cognizance of the problems faced by the workers, Khattar, who addressed the people in the state on Tuesday evening, urged migrant workers not to panic and remain calm. He said that economic activities will not be stopped and assured that industries across the state will remain operational in all circumstances.

--IANS

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