Allow industrial operations in mixed land use areas as well: FICO

Federation has urged Union ministers Amit Shah and Harsimrat Kaur to intervene as large industry cannot work properly till smaller units are also allowed to operate

With the state government allowing industrial operations only in the areas outside municipal corporation (MC) limits and in designated industrial areas/focal points, the Federation of Industrial and Commercial Organisations (FICO) has urged Union ministers Amit Shah and Harsimrat Kaur Badal to intervene and allow the industry and commercial establishments to operate in mixed land use areas as well.

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FICO office-bearers said, “The large industry cannot work till the time the micro and small units, situated in mixed land use areas, are also allowed to operate as these units work as vendors for large units. Also, there is a need to open the commercial establishments, including hardware shops, oil and lubricant suppliers and electric shops as the industry is opening after several weeks days and the machinery will require repairs.”

FICO president Gurmeet Singh Kular said, “A large number of industrial units are situated in mixed land areas, including Janta Nagar, New Janta Nagar, Shimlapuri, New Shimlapuri, Dashmesh Nagar, Dhuri Line, Dholewal, Partap Nagar, Vishwakarma Colony, etc., which were established around six decades ago. The area of these units ranges from 50 square yards to 100 square yards and it is very easy to maintain social distancing in these units as few labourers work in these units. These units have also got Udyog Aadhar.”

FICO general secretary Rajeev Jain and propaganda secretary Satnam Makkar also appealed to the government that the railways should not resume regular trains to Uttar Pradesh, Bihar and other native places of migrant labourers working in the city for at least 45 days after the lockdown.

They rued that, viewing the current scenario, when the workers were keen to move back to their native places, it would be another lockdown for the industry if they returned to their home states after the lockdown was over.