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Stop free travel facility for labourers, CICU to Punjab govt
In a letter written to the Punjab chief minister Captain Amarinder Singh on Saturday, the industrialists said that the industry is in dire need of labourers as the industrial operations are gaining momentum in Ludhiana.
Citing free travel as the reason behind the movement of migrants, Chamber of Industrial and Commercial Undertakings (CICU) along with 33 affiliated industrial associations has urged the state government to stop the free trains for the migrants wishing to return to their home states.
In a letter written to the Punjab chief minister Captain Amarinder Singh on Saturday, the industrialists said that the industry is in dire need of labourers as the industrial operations are gaining momentum in the city.
“Around 50% of the labourers working in the units have gone and many more have registered themselves for the journey. Most of them are returning to their hometowns only because the government is providing the free travel facility. The government should start charging for the journey. This way, most of the workers would stay back and the industry which is moving towards a crises, would be able to revive,” said CICU president Upkar Singh Ahuja and general secretary Pankaj Sharma.
Knitwear Club president Darshan Dawar said, “Already reeling under losses, the hosiery industry is suffering a lot with the migrants returning to their home states.”
“While the labourers are moving out of the city, there is no arrangement for those who want to return from other states and work. The labourers in the hosiery used to arrive in the city in the beginning of April, work for the entire season and then return to their hometown. But this year, the labourers are not able to come and the ones present in the city are exploiting the owners by charging more for work,” he said.
Owner of one of the hosiery units in Wait Ganj area, Karan Bajaj, said that the labourers who were willing to work are also moving out after the government announced free travel facility.
“We used to commence the manufacturing process in the April. This year, the hosiery industry is in a dilemma and wondering how to manufacture the goods in the absence of workers,” he said.
