Farmers Movement Archive

Bharat Bandh: Punjab industry faces ₹500-cr loss

The Bharat Bandh call that received an unprecedented response in Punjab on Monday, caused a loss of around ₹500 crore to the industry in the state. While large and medium-scale units remained shut, some small-scale units operated with shutters down. In most parts of the state’s industrial hub Ludhiana, labour was unable to reach the factories. Businesses and all transactions were hampered as banks and commercial establishments remained completely shut till 4pm. A large section of industry extended its support to the farmers but there were many who were left fuming and have decided to not to extend support to such protests in future. “The estimated losses faced by the industry due to the bandh are close to ₹500 crore. We have decided that we will not be part of the bandh next time. The police and the entire government machinery support the bandh and it’s the common people who suffer. It was a Monday and after two days of bank holiday, all financial transactions get affected. The industry had already suffered enough since the last year due to Covid-induced lockdown and the farmers protest. There is a limit to how much we can bear as the industry has been taken for granted to support the farmers while no one thinks about us,” said Badish Jindal, president of the Federation of Punjab Small Industries Association (FOPSIA). Pankaj Sharma, general secretary, Chamber of Commercial and Industrial Undertaking (CICU), said almost all factories remained shut as a precaution, fearing backlash from farmers and other protesters. “There should be an open space or a ground to hold such protests outside the city. Protesters can sit there, hold press conferences and enter the grievances in the record book. The govt representative should go there and receive their memorandum. Why disrupt the daily life which affects the economy?” he asked. Sharma also said that a lot many people blocking the roads have nothing to do with farm Laws. Some of them are factory workers who are allured on the pretext of free food, he said, adding that shutdowns in all forms should be condemned by all. It is high time politicians stop taking common man for a ride, he said. Amit Thapar, president of Ganga Acrowools and vice-president, Confederation of Indian Industry (CII), Punjab, said: “For me, it’s not about farm laws. I cannot support any cause which in form of protest denies me my right to livelihood. Disruption is not a solution and neither you can force people to close down anyone who wishes to be part of the protest can voluntary close down his shop / factory and keep it closed for as long as he wants. But he has no right to ask me to close mine.” Trucks remain off road With transporters in the largest Transport Nagar in the state extending support to the Bharat Bandh, thousands of trucks remained off road.The industrial activities also got disturbed in the industrial hub of the state with no loading and unloading of goods taking place during the protest hours from 6am to 4pm. According to transporters the Ludhiana Goods Transport Association, there are over 1,100 transporters in Transport Nagar with around 15,000 loading vehicles.Only the transport services related to medicines, vegetables, eatables among other essential services continued.Secretary, Punjab Bank Employees’ Federation Naresh Gaur said as per an estimate, banking transactions worth crores were hit due to the protest as the industrial activities were affected. President of Janta Nagar Small Scale Manufacturers Association Jaswinder Thukral said that the industry in Janta Nagar, Gill Road and adjoining areas also remained shut in support of the farmer agitation. “Though the industry will suffer losses, it is far less than what we will have to suffer if the farm laws are implemented. The economy of the state depends on the farming sector and if that sector is destroyed, we will not be able to survive,” he said. (Inputs by Harsimran Singh Batra)

Hindustan Times

28-09-2021

Chandigarh