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Some hiccups still

Some hiccups still

All industrial units do not have the requisite capacity to meet the new standards for resuming production yet

India followed its own definitive path to tackle the menace of COVID-19, ordering the strictest 21-day nationwide lockdown first and then extending it further. In its first phase, the Government chose to save people’s lives over the economy. Yet, when it became distinctly clearer that the fight against the virus would be long-drawn, it became impossible for it to ignore livelihood issues and look for ways to get the economy started. So it allowed industrial units to run in non-hotspot areas but with a new set of caveats that is now causing more confusion than clarity. While these are early days yet and the Government has to work out sectoral codes to ensure low risk, social distancing and safety parameters, the first set of compliances seems to have put more pressure on unit owners, who have to now factor in a new overhead like safety costs. In the absence of substantial working capital from the Government, some of them are wary about opening their units because of low consumer demand, labour shortage and a poor chain of logistics. Now they are further spooked by media reports of the stringent norms that call for punitive action, to the extent of registration of an FIR, against owners found non-compliant by the slightest degree or even if one staffer was diagnosed with COVID-19, something that even a routine health check-up would not reveal at the time of re-employment. Though the Government sought to allay fears by making it clear that the provisions would be applicable only for offences “with consent, cognisance or negligence” on the part of the employers, uncertainty looms large. This is why the standard operating procedures (SOPs) issued by the Home Ministry following the partial lifting of the lockdown in several areas have drawn flak from several quarters.

Major worries are over the broad norms prescribed under the National Disaster Management Act (NDMA) that have been invoked for the first time on account of a force majeure event. First, the implementation of the Act itself will be problematic because the onus now lies with respective States to ensure adherence. As expected, without any clarification, various States have offered different interpretations on whether they should risk people’s lives by opening up the factories or keep them shut longer. Even when some have agreed, unanticipated gaps during implementation mean there has to be another review. Further, given the varied capacities of each State, it is only fair to expect a less-than-equal response from all. Other guidelines, too, appear illogical and are hard to implement at the ground level. New rules demand that workers be accommodated in the factory premises or be lodged in nearby areas so that they can be transported with ease while strictly maintaining social distancing norms. Given the previous set-up of industries, it will be impossible for them to lodge even a small group of workers. Further, the guidelines call upon the respective units to get their workers, who have fled to their hometowns, back to work. With trust deficit everywhere and in the absence of a Central assurance, employees may choose to remain in their villages. Assuming they come back, the resumption of work is dependent largely on the behavioural shift of workers — all of whom need to get accustomed to all sanitary guidelines. One lapse by them and the owner would get harassed. This is why we will need far more long-term and sustainable solutions going forward. At the moment, smaller units cannot get rolling without Government support. Half-baked rush can only spoil the gains made till now.

(Courtesy: The Pioneer)

Some hiccups still

Some hiccups still

All industrial units do not have the requisite capacity to meet the new standards for resuming production yet

India followed its own definitive path to tackle the menace of COVID-19, ordering the strictest 21-day nationwide lockdown first and then extending it further. In its first phase, the Government chose to save people’s lives over the economy. Yet, when it became distinctly clearer that the fight against the virus would be long-drawn, it became impossible for it to ignore livelihood issues and look for ways to get the economy started. So it allowed industrial units to run in non-hotspot areas but with a new set of caveats that is now causing more confusion than clarity. While these are early days yet and the Government has to work out sectoral codes to ensure low risk, social distancing and safety parameters, the first set of compliances seems to have put more pressure on unit owners, who have to now factor in a new overhead like safety costs. In the absence of substantial working capital from the Government, some of them are wary about opening their units because of low consumer demand, labour shortage and a poor chain of logistics. Now they are further spooked by media reports of the stringent norms that call for punitive action, to the extent of registration of an FIR, against owners found non-compliant by the slightest degree or even if one staffer was diagnosed with COVID-19, something that even a routine health check-up would not reveal at the time of re-employment. Though the Government sought to allay fears by making it clear that the provisions would be applicable only for offences “with consent, cognisance or negligence” on the part of the employers, uncertainty looms large. This is why the standard operating procedures (SOPs) issued by the Home Ministry following the partial lifting of the lockdown in several areas have drawn flak from several quarters.

Major worries are over the broad norms prescribed under the National Disaster Management Act (NDMA) that have been invoked for the first time on account of a force majeure event. First, the implementation of the Act itself will be problematic because the onus now lies with respective States to ensure adherence. As expected, without any clarification, various States have offered different interpretations on whether they should risk people’s lives by opening up the factories or keep them shut longer. Even when some have agreed, unanticipated gaps during implementation mean there has to be another review. Further, given the varied capacities of each State, it is only fair to expect a less-than-equal response from all. Other guidelines, too, appear illogical and are hard to implement at the ground level. New rules demand that workers be accommodated in the factory premises or be lodged in nearby areas so that they can be transported with ease while strictly maintaining social distancing norms. Given the previous set-up of industries, it will be impossible for them to lodge even a small group of workers. Further, the guidelines call upon the respective units to get their workers, who have fled to their hometowns, back to work. With trust deficit everywhere and in the absence of a Central assurance, employees may choose to remain in their villages. Assuming they come back, the resumption of work is dependent largely on the behavioural shift of workers — all of whom need to get accustomed to all sanitary guidelines. One lapse by them and the owner would get harassed. This is why we will need far more long-term and sustainable solutions going forward. At the moment, smaller units cannot get rolling without Government support. Half-baked rush can only spoil the gains made till now.

(Courtesy: The Pioneer)

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