Take concrete steps to bring Nepalese labour for apple season: CPI M to HP govt

CPI (M) leader Sanjay Chauhan said orchardists are worried due to shortage of labour.

Updated on: Jul 5, 2020, 17:59:28 IST

Hindustan Times, Shimla | By HT Correspondent, SHIMLA:

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Communist Party of India (Marxist) on Sunday asked the Himachal Pradesh government to take concrete steps to bring Nepalese labour on time for the apple season by discussing it with the Centre.

CPI (M) leader Sanjay Chauhan said orchardists are worried due to shortage of labour. “If labour is not arranged on time then it will become difficult for orchardists to take their produce to fruit markets thereby causing huge losses,” he said.

He said,” Most apple orchards are away from roads therefore labour have to carry apple boxes on their backs. Labour is also required to load and unload apple boxes from the vehicle. Due to Covid-19 and other issues with Nepal, labour have not been able to come to the state this year. Till now, the state government has also not taken any concrete step in this direction.”

He said the apple season has started in the state and will pick up pace in lower and middle hills within the next two weeks but due to the pandemic, there is a shortage of labourers, packaging materials and other essential resources. Besides, truck owners and other commercial vehicles have also hiked transportation charges by 20% due to hike in prices of petrol and diesel.

Also, around 65% fruit crop has been destroyed by untimely rainfall and hailstorms which has resulted in losses, he added.

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