-SATISH HANDA
Trade and industry in Haryana is facing severe crisis due to farmers protest against three ordinances introduced by the government since past48 days. A survey reveals, nearly 1500 small and big industrial units at Bahadurgarh incurred daily loss between Rs 50000 to Rs 2 lakh. Similar is the fate of industry in other industry zones in Haryana state including automobile components industry at Rohtak, handloom & textile industry at Panipat, Food products industry at Sonepat, plywood industry at Yamunanagar, metal industry at Jagadhari, poultry industry at Jind, Leather industry at Bahaurgarh and large number of micro, small and medium industrial units at Ambala, Karnal, Hisar and other towns in the state. Farmers agitation has brought another shock for industry in the state after lock down declared by the government due to epidemic outbreak in the country when industry remained closed incurring heavy financial losses to owners as wll government.
Most of the industrial units in the state have turned sick in the absence of raw material since transport services remained paralysed due to farmers protest and material could not be despatched against orders in this period since most of the borders were sealed by the protestors and hundreds of loaded trucks had to remain stranded on roads for a long time. The protest also adversely affected poultry business in the state for value worth Rs 10 crore towards supply of eggs and Rs three crore towards supply of chicken to Delhi. According to Preetam Singh president of Panipat Industry Association, exporters of Panipat textile industry doing domestic business worth Rs 90000 crore and exports worth Rs 12000 crore annually has suffered loss worth Rs 3000 crore due to non-availability of transport and containers due to farmers agitation and failed to despatch material.
Laghu Udyog Bharti president Angad Kochar said, there are nearly 3500 including 1500 small scale units manufacturing automobile parts at Rohtak, each of them suffering daily loss between Rs 50000 to over a lakh every day. Information also reveals that nearly 50% manufacturing units on G.T Road are lying closed due to shortage of raw material because of transport problem. Similar is the fate of nearly 3500 manufacturing units at Kundli where material of value worth over Rs 1000 crore is lying packed for despatch in the absence of transport facility. The owners of industrial units told that the transporters have also increased freights by nearly 10%.
President of Haryana Plywood Manufacturing Association J.K.Bihani told that nearly 70-80 trucks containing material of value between Rs 10-15 lakh were being despatched to Delhi from Yamunanagr every day and supply is not being made since past several days due to non-availability of transport caused financial loss to local industry between Rs 8-10 core. General Secretary of The Jagadhari Metal Manufacturing Association Sunder Lal Batra told that metal industry has been adversely affected due to shortage of raw material, moreover goods prepared against orders could not be despatched since past over a month. The president of Transport Union Sat Pal told that nearly 300 trucks plying between Yamunanagar and Delhi carrying material as well as raw material are standing on the way due to farmers protest.
Both president of Faridabad Industries Association B.R. Bhatia and president of Gurugram Industries Association J.N. Mangla told that a ray of hope was seen after lockdown in the state was lifted when industry started getting orders but farmers agitation again brought sickness in the industry. They said, industry in Delhi NCR area has been worst affected due to traffic blockage on roads by protesting farmers at Haryana-Delhi borders.
Information reveals that farmers protesting since past 48 days have lost support as well as sympathy from people residing in Haryana, Delhi and NCR area due to lot of inconvenience faced by them. They said, farmers protesting at Sindhu and Tikri Borders has made their lives miserable due to heavy traffic blockage on roads, spreading garbage, sitting for toilet in open at places and it has become difficult or females of villages and residential colonies in the area to come out of their houses.
According to the residents of Deli, NCR area they are facing difficulties in getting essential commodities like vegetables and milk supplied by small farmers in Haryana.. On the other hand farmers dependant on cultivation of vegetable and sale of milk in such colonies are suffering heavy financial loss due to farmers agitation forced to sell vegetables and milk at much lower prices in their area. According to information, there are nearly18 lakh farmers dependant on cultivation of vegetables in nearly 4.52 lakh hectare area producing nearly 25 lakh ton vegetables in Haryana supplying material to wholesale vegetable market Delhi. Similarly, 107 lakh tons milk produced in Haryana everyday and nearly 50% quantity of the milk is being sold at Delhi-NCR area has been affected due to farmers agitation
