MillenniumPost
Bengal

Industries hail Mamata's move; economic activities to begin today

Kolkata: Welcoming the move of Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee giving a series of relaxations to revive economic activities in the fifth phase of the lockdown, hectic activities will begin in all the concerned sectors starting from mining to jute industry from Monday onward with all the precautionary measures in place to check the spread of COVID-19.

Bengal government has extended the lockdown till June 15 with restrictions to be imposed in "Affected Zones" and at the same time, the state government allowed operations of mining activities, micro, small, medium and large industries and jute mills with 100 per cent work force from Monday. Similarly, the shooting of TV and cinema apart from that of reality shows and web-portals has also been allowed.

The jute industry is planning to bring back the maximum number of workers to run all the 53 mills, and since Sunday several mill authorities have come up with a detailed plan of action so that all 3 lakh people directly involved in the industry can be provided with jobs. "Earlier we were functioning with 50 per cent man power. Now with the new direction, the entire 100 percent can be engaged. So we are taking all precautionary measures to engage most of the workers in phases by following the norms of physical distancing," said Trinamool Congress MP Dola Sen.

Similarly, the Chief Minister's decision has brought back smile on faces of 10,000 technicians who are directly involved in the shooting of TV and cinema after remaining out of work for the past two and a half months.

The TV and cinema industry has started preparing a standard operating procedure that to be followed at shooting floors in studios and even during outdoor shooting as well. "We are taking care of each and every aspect including the maximum number of people that can be allowed at a shooting floor at a time to ensure that none of our people get infected to the disease," said president of Federation of Cine Technicians and Workers of Eastern India (FCTWEI) Swarup Biswas.

"Tea industry would now be able to engage its total workforce on the removal of the 50 per cent cap on workers, maintaining the government guidelines at its optimum capacity. The workers will be deployed for different tasks so that social distancing is maintained" stated Sandeep Mukherjee, Principal Advisor, Darjeeling Tea Association.

"The markets in Darjeeling will open in a phase-wise manner. Not all trades will open together," stated the Chamber of Commerce, Darjeeling.

But, the situation in the state's mining sector is not going to change right from Monday onwards as the Eastern Coalfield Limited (ECL) authorities will continue for the time being with the skeletal staff as they had been continuing for the past two and a half months.

However, round the clock work will continue on all days as usual. Around 55,000 people including 2,000 officers work for ECL apart from the contractual labourers in 66 underground and 18 open-pit mines.

"We are yet to take decision on engaging 100 per cent work force. But, the guideline is expected to get revised soon," said Vinay Ranjan, Director Personnel of

ECL.

In the construction industry, most workers are from Malda and Murshidabad districts. Once they manage to return to the city, construction of all major projects will start in full swing with 100 percent man power maintaining physical distancing. While in districts, the construction of state-run projects will start with the total strength from Monday onward.

The state transport department at present has around 3,500 buses and it runs around 2,200 buses on an average on regular basis on various routes and at present, a large number of buses are being engaged to ferry migrant labourers. From Monday onward, buses will be plying with passengers not more than actual seating capacity and no one will be allowed to travel standing in the buses. However, still there is uncertainty over the plying of private buses.

Temples including Dakshineswar, Belur Math and Tarapeeth will take some more days to open for devotees.

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