Industry reopens from today in TS

State unofficially allows sector to function till 6 pm; Covid-19 safeguards put in place

The state government is allowing the resumption of industrial activity in an attempt to bring back a semblance of normality in the state.

Though there is no official order to this effect, officials in the industries department have said that 30 per cent of factories are already functioning. By the end of next week, this figure could be 90 per cent, they said.

According to the officials, virtually all industrial units are now allowed to function, albeit with some caveats. Factories located within Industrial Development Areas (IDAs) and Special Economic Zones (SEZs) will be allowed to open. They would be required to maintain strict social distancing guidelines and sanitary standards.

Factories located outside IDAs and SEZs will be allowed to function only if they have access control mechanisms for their employees.

They will also be required to provide their employees housing facilities on the premises.

The factories will be allowed to function until 6 pm, when the curfew

kicks in. Factories requiring continuous processing, such as steel manufacturing units, would be allowed to function round the clock, but they would have to provide accommodation to employees who won’t be allowed to go home during the curfew.

Jayesh Ranjan, Information Technology and Industries secretary, said the companies have to follow strict guidelines.

“All of them will have to use a temperature scanner at entry points. All personnel will be required to wear masks at all times, without exception. There should also be no cafeterias or spots where people can congregate during meals. Employees are instructed to eat at their workplaces,” he said.

Also, employees aged over 50 and those who suffer from ailments such as diabetes or have blood pressure issues have been told to stay home. People living in containment zones are prohibited from reporting for work.

Factories have been told to maintain social distancing by reducing the number of employees working in a day.

“We have studied some examples of industrial units in Cherlapally. We have observed that the optimum working capacity is 30 per cent, beyond which following distancing guidelines becomes a challenge,” he said.

Mr Ranjan said that there is no official government order on these directions, but the sector has been taken into confidence. An official communique can be expected only after the state cabinet meets on May 5, with directions expected to be in force from May 7.

“We have told industries to go on and not wait until then. To ensure they have no issues, all police departments and officials concerned have been instructed to cooperate with them,” Mr Rajan said.

Industrialists are assessing the impact of the migrant workers leaving the state for their hometowns, which was allowed by the Union ministry of home affairs. K. Sudhir Reddy, president of the Telangana Industrialists Federation (TIF), predicted there would be some problems.

“Some migrant workers may want to return home, as they have been stuck here for many days without work. I think some will choose to stay here as work will resume soon. In any case, it will take a few months for those who have left to come back. It will definitely affect the companies until then,” he said.

Mr Ranjan said the impact may not be too bad. “Workers employed in factories generally possess some technical skills they have acquired over many years. Though they might be non-locals, they are more likely to have permanent residency in the state. This is unlike the construction industry where labour is seasonal or temporary, and unskilled,” he said.