Page 58 - Plastics News April 2020

have been brought under the ambit of lockdown to most of our members have continued production during
prevent the spread of coronavirus. Although the jute this shutdown, labour shortage could slow down
industry falls under the Essential Commodities Act, the operations,” Deepak Lawale, secretary general of the
state government has not allowed jute mills to continue Organization of Plastic Processors of India (OPPI) told
with their operations. While both the state and the ICIS. OPPI members account for nearly 45% of the
Centre have urged all jute mill owners not to deduct polymer processing done in India, according to its
website. Semi- and unskilled labourers who form the

wages for the lockdown period, the Indian Jute Mill
Manufacturers Association (IJMA) said mills do not have
backbone of India's unorganized labour sector are
the cash flow to pay wages to workers for the lockdown
period. CITU leader Anadi Sahoo said except for two jute required in various operations through the production
mills, around 10 lakh workers of 67 jute mills have been chain, including transportation. Since India announced
denied wages. “We have sought intervention of both the its nationwide lockdown on 25 March, migrant labourers
state labour minister and the chief minister, but there have been returning to their villages. “The labourers
have left for their homes only recently. Even if they
has been no response so far. If this continues, labour
unions will be forced to hit the streets,” Sahoo said. reach their villages by 3-4 April, we cannot expect them
Debashish Dutta of the INTTUC echoed the same to return quickly,” Lawale said, adding that though the
sentiment. IJMA sources said since there were orders of lockdown that is supposed to end on 14 April, bringing
jute bags pouring in from Orissa, Telangana, Punjab and production and transportation back to optimum levels
may take time.There could be a short-term shortage of
Madhya Pradesh for packaging of the rabi harvest, the
association approached chief minister Mamata Banerjee packaging materials required for medicines and
urging her to allow opening of mills under a safety ointments like plastics and tubes, said a source at a
protocol. To help jute farmers during the lock down Mumbai-based packaging firm, which provides blister
period, Ministry of Textiles has written to the all jute packaging material for medicines.
growing State Governments to allow movement, sale
and supply of the jute seeds, fertilizers and other
farming aids. Your feedback matters...

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Indian plastic processors face labour shortage,
logistics woes amid lockdown about this issue of
Labour shortage and logistics problems has affected
overall production of India's plastic processors during the Plastics News.
country's 21-day lockdown, although the government's
decision to allow unhindered transport of all goods may Send us your thoughts at
have eased some pressure on the industry. A number of
packaging and plastic processor firms have reduced or publication@aipma.net
shut down operations, in line with the 25 March to 14
April nationwide lockdown meant to contain the spread Thank you, in advance.
of the deadly novel coronavirus in the country. “While

APRIL 2020 55 Plastics News