New Delhi, Apr 17 (KNN) Lockdown due to COVID-19 pandemic has hit several countries on both the fronts – health and economy. To break the chain of corona virus outbreak, many countries have resorted to complete lockdown including India.

India’s lockdown has been extended till May 3 keeping in view the current status of the pandemic. However, the Ministry of Home Affairs had issued guidelines giving some relaxations and exemptions from April 20,2020. Following this, many states too have given exemptions to certain industries to function.

The Uttar Pradesh government has given permission to run 9 types of industries subject to fulfilment of certain conditions during the lockdown.

Industries belonging to the sectors of steel, refineries, cement, chemical, and fertilizers, sugar mills, among others have been allowed to operate in the state, said an order by Chief Secretary, Uttar Pradesh government on Thursday.

The order further stated that only the production units can be opened and that too with half of the workforce usually deployed at them in the first stage. The industries capable of providing food, lodging, and other facilities to their workers will do so during the lockdown.

The norms on paper looked easy, but is it actually so simple and easy to implement on the ground by the Micro Small and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs) in the said procedure? To get more insight of the same, KNN India spoke to V K Seth, Secretary General, Noida Entrepreneurs Association (NEA).

''There will be more guidelines on what category industries will be allowed to operate. Small industries who have lack of place will face trouble. Generally small industries don't have a bigger area, so how can they settle their workers and maintain social distancing,'' he asked.

He further raised questions on the order of the government where it has asked industries to provide a cab to ferry their workers from outside.

''As per the rule, maximum two workers can adjust in a single cab, now if any industry is employing 20 workers, then it means, industry will hire 10 cabs. In a situation like this, where these cabs will come from,'' he asked.

''This is a practical problem and we can't maintain social distancing. Even if we succeed in maintaining social distancing in factories, what about outside? It’s not possible,'' he concluded.

The industrial units falling in the 'hotspot' zones will not be allowed to function till further orders.

The order also warned that if it is found that units are not following the guidelines, they could be shut down.  All workers coming to these units will undergo thermal scanning. The industries will provide sanitizers, masks and clean water to each of the worker coming to work. (KNN/ AKS)