Kutch: Rajasthan migrants return to salt refineries, Kandla port

RAJKOT: The exodus of migrant workers from Gujarat due to lockdown has come as a severe blow to industries across various sectors. Two of the most labour intensive industries - the salt refineries of Kutch and Deendayal Port Trust (DPT) at Kandla - have been impacted the most.


But to overcome their losses India's biggest salt industry in Kutch has now started offering double salary to workers who return to work.

Labour contractors at the DPT too are keen on following the same path to bring back workers.

Nearly 75% of the 15,000 odd workers employed in these two sectors (10,000 in salt refineries and 5,000 at DPT) have gone back to their natives. While most of the worker from salt industry are from Rajasthan and Madhya Pradesh, labourers at DPT belong to Uttar Pradesh, Bihar and Odisha .

Industry sources said that in next one month at least 5,000 workers are expected to return.

There are 20 salt refineries in Kutch that refine 2 lakh tonne of edible and industrial salt every month. These factories employ 10,000 workers. Nearly 80% of country's salt requirement is supplied from Kutch.

Jatin Agrawal, secretary of Gujarat Salt Refinery Welfare Association said, "Around 400 workers have returned after the lockdown was eased. We expect around 100 more to return in next week."

He said that the salt factory owners are making arrangement for buses to bring back the workers from Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh and UP.

"The companies have set up its own quarantine facilities near Cherai where the workers coming from other stated will be kept for 14 days. The workers will get paid for the 14 days of quarantine plus food. The companies are offering double salary because of the acute shortage of workers," Agarwal added.

One of the labour contractors at DPT Anwar Pathan said "The current situation is such that we can't say when the vessel anchored at the port will be unloaded. The worker here are working for 18 hour shifts daily."

He said that three buses have already been sent to Kanpur in UP to bring back 120 workers. "More workers will come back in trains," he added.

Gandhidham Chamber of Commerce and Industry (GCCI) is facilitating industries in getting necessary permission to bring labourers back.

Aashish Joshi, GCCI secretary said, "The industry people are bearing the all the cost because they are facing acute shortage of labour force. The owner will be forced to shut operation because of shortage of workers. So spending some amount in bringing them back is worth rather than halting production." Kutch