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Factory owners seeking nod to open say they are being unduly harassed
Factory owners in Gautam Budh Nagar district, who are seeking a nod from the district administration to reopen their units, Thursday said they were being unduly
Factory owners in Gautam Budh Nagar district, who are seeking a nod from the district administration to reopen their units, Thursday said they were being unduly harassed by officials and being made to stand in long queues to submit documents.
They said the rules that govern the granting of permission to reopen industries are confusing and ambiguous, thereby defeating the purpose of social distancing to contain spread of the Covid-19 pandemic.
All manufacturing units were shut after the government announced a nationwide lockdown from March 25 to prevent the spread of Covid-19. The lockdown has since been extended twice, the latest being up to May 17, but the Union government allowed lowed certain relaxation in lockdown rules from May 3 ( only in non-containment zones) to help businesses get back on their feet.
In Gautam Budh Nagar, all businesses, factories, companies and offices in non containment zones were allowed to reopen, but with certain riders and only after the requisite nod from the industrial development department.
Most factory owners, who manufacture electronic goods such as televisions, refrigerators, and also food products, said getting the nod from industrial development department was not a smooth process.
“We were asked to apply for permission online and we did so. But nothing was processed as the system was faulty. Then the department of industry asked us to submit applications along with requisite documents at its office. We had to wait in long queues to submit the documents and the application. But we are yet to get the permission,” said Pankaj Singh, president, Greater Noida industry association.
On Wednesday when factory owners visited the industry department at Greater Noida’s Surajpur office they were shocked by the chaos there -- all social distancing norms were being flouted at will.
“This was unbelievable that in this time of crisis, when the government is emphasizing on paperless work and digitisation to ensure containment of the Covid-19, the industry owners are made to stand in long queues,” said Aditya Kumar, member, Greater Noida industry association.
Anil Kumar, deputy commissioner of the District Industries Centre (DIC), who is the official in charge of granting permissions, did not reply to repeated messages and calls, seeking his comment on the system fault and flouting of social distancing norms.
“District Industries Centre distributed forms to be filled to grant permission and then deny the permission. There is no communication from this department at all ,” Singh said.
When apprised of this situation, GB Nagar district magistrate Suhas LY said, “Nobody needs to be in a queue for permission. They can operate their units as per the rules laid down by the UP government. And if there is any miscommunication to industry owners then we will look into it and address the issue. I will ask Anil Kumar to communicate properly with industry owners.”
Gautam Budh Nagar district has three industrial development authorities -- Noida, Greater Noida, Yamuna Expressway -- apart from the Uttar Pradesh state industrial development corporation (UPSIDC) that has the mandate to acquire the land, develop the same and allot it for setting up industries, housing and other purposes. Noida authority has around 20,000 hectares , Yamuna authority has around 16,000 hectares and Greater Noida has around 38,000 hectares developed by both the Greater Noida and the UPSIDC. In their respective areas, these bodies had allowed setting up industries of different kinds. The UPSIDC allotted land to at least 3,000 industrial units, which are located in Greater Noida.
