Friday, March 27, 2020

Lockdown impacts essential services as CII plea to ease restriction on movement of essential goods

CHENNAI:
The lockdown has resulted in impacting the supply of essential services across the city and state as Confederation of Indian Industry has urged the government to make concerted efforts to ease out the restriction imposed on movement  of essential goods within the State and also inter-State, which would help business continuity at this time of crisis.

COVID19 crisis poses specific challenge in large process industries where skilled people are required to sustain the operations. Engaging labourers for critical industries, accommodation, food and other arrangements for labourers who need to stay to take care of the factory are some of the issues faced by Industry members, said C K Ranganathan, Deputy Chairman, CII Southern Region and K Hari Thiagarajan, Chairman, CII Tamil Nadu State Council.

The lockdown has posed challenges to ship surveyors, who find it difficult to reach the port due to police crackdown, says Executive director of Admiralty Marine Services, Captain R M Kapoor.

Kapoor says that ship surveyors who play a crucial role before loading and offloading of cargo by certifying the quality and quantity of cargo are facing challenges as their movement is restricted by the cops. "We urge the police commissioner and director general of police that port operations and its workers come essential services and they are key to ensure the essential cargo which is required by the country is supplied. We request the movement of ship surveyors are not restricted who have been sacrifing their lives during the lockdown to perform their services," he added. "We hope the police overdrive will be toned down," he added. 

The imposition of the lockdown has left many small retail shops forced to forego milk, which was supplied to residents in the nook and corner of the streets. Milk suppliers highlighted the inability of collect money from the shops in the evening after delivering milk in the morning following the lockdown and police harassment. This means the supplies of milk at the homes in the street will be hit. Similar is the story of vegetables where the retail markets have been shut. Now government is making efforts to open these shops.

"There are several evidences that substantiate the fact that COVID-19 has been impacting the Indian industry and economy adversely, with significant implications on the sustainability of businesses and employment.  Some major sectors such as electronics, automobiles, entertainment, transport, tourism, and exports are in trouble due to the disruption in the global supply chain and routine operations," says Ranganathan.

He said industry expects support from the State Government at this hour of need in fulfilling the export commitments, GST payment, Electricity payments, Freight services, movement of specific items like packaged foods,  medical equipment and drugs, capital requirement besides funding support.

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