Chennai has reported nearly 10,000 cases of novel coronavirus.
Nearly two months after industrial estates in Tamil Nadu shut operations following the lockdown, 17 big industiral units in the state’s capital Chennai have been granted permission to resume operations. The industrial units, including the ones in Guindy and Ambattur, will have to follow strict COVID-19 protocols when they resume operations from Monday, the state government said in a statement.
As per the order, the units will be allowed to function with 25 per cent work force for now. Other measures include thermal screening for workers and mandatory two-time disinfection of masks.
The industrial estates have been directed not to employ workers from containment zones. Even symptomatic workers will not be allowed to work, as per the order.
Thousands of workers were employed by these business units before the lockdown to control the spread of coronavirus was announced. The Tamil Nadu government had imposed the lockdown on March 24, a day ahead of the national lockdown, to curb the spread of coronavirus in the state. With no business, many industrial estates were forced to lay offs hundreds of workers to cut costs.
Chief Minister K Palaniswami has claimed an estimated Rs 35,000 crore GST revenue loss to the state during the ongoing COVID-19 lockdown.
The number of coronavirus cases in Tamil Nadu has crossed the 15,000-mark with state capital Chennai’s tally alone nearing 10,000.
Source: https://www.ndtv.com/india-news/coronavirus-17-big-industrial-estates-in-chennai-to-reopen-tomorrow-work-with-25-per-cent-staff-none-from-containment-zones-2234176
