Faridabad, Sept 19 (KNN) The District Magistrate of Faridabad has ordered compulsory intensive testing of all the industrial workers in Faridabad at the cost of factory owner.

Factory owners already facing financial crisis as they had to pay to workers during entire period of lockdown, feel distressed by the new dictat.  

Haryana based industries associations have demdned that the cost of testing be borne by the Government.

While appreciating Haryana Government for the efficient handling of Covid-19,  Faridabad IMT Industries Association (FIMTIA) said that  the industries were already facing a financial crisis due to Covid pandemic and it was not fair to burden them with this additional cost of testing

Rakesh Chabra, President, Rai Industries Associations has said that Haryana government should provide for 100% cost of COVID testing for industrial workers.

“If any worker has positive report than government will have to provide the ambulance and treatment facility. The area would be sanitised by the factory owner, but factory work will be allowed to function normally”, he added.

In this regard, FIMTIA has written a letter to the Haryana government and suggested that prioroity of compulsory rapid testing should be for Govt.  Employees in first stage. Secondly. The industrial units employing more than 100 workers should be covered in second phase the cost of which should be borne by Haryana Govt.

FIMTIA also suggested that Haryana Govt. could also tap Labour Welfare Fund which is contributed by factory owners to finance compulsory testing or and alternatively testing could be done through ESI hospitals as most of the industrial workers are covered under ESI.