Availability of raw material a big concern for factories resuming ops

Nashik/Kolhapur: Factories across the state are gradually restarting operations in the MIDC areas, but the availability of raw materials remains a concern. Some industries are assessing how long they will be able to operate with their available stocks.
In Nashik, a large automobile company, which has three plants, has got the MIDC’s permission but is assessing the availability of materials from vendors.
“There are over 1,200 small and medium units, which are directly or indirectly connected with the automobile firm in Nashik. These units will not start unless this automobile company starts operations,” said Manish Rawal, a senior member of Nashik Industries & Manufacturers’ Association (NIMA).
Sanjay Shete, the president of Kolhapur Chamber of Commerce, said, “Till date, 56 industries have initiated the process of starting their units in the Five Star MIDC and Gokul Shirgaon MIDC areas. They have started the cleaning and repairing the machines. They have started assessment of the raw material stocks and the number of days they can operate.”
“We started work with the available raw material and are transporting our workers on KMT buses. We have stocks to run the factory for more than two weeks,” said an industrialist running a foundry in Kolhapur.
A cotton mill owner said: “We have started production of cloth, but most of our products are sold outside Maharashtra. We hope the government will give some relaxations to reach the markets.”
“We have sought permission from the government to start operations, but are in a fix. We supply finished products to the industrial units in Pune and Pimpri-Chinchwad areas. We will have to wait till the industries there start operations,” said another industrialist from Five Star MIDC area.
In Nashik, 1,600 units, including SMEs and nearly a dozen large industries, have started work so far, said Nitin Gavli, Nashik regional officer, MIDC. About 400 more are likely to work soon.
Most of the industries here are unwilling to transport workers by buses as it is not feasible they said.
“We talked to state industry minister Subhash Desai on Monday and urged him to allow workers to use two-wheelers or four-wheelers. Desai has also assured us that he will look into the issue and give some relaxation,” said NIMA secretary-general Tushar Chavan.
“We have 800 workers and 500 of them are residing in a colony adjacent to our factory in Sinnar. We have started operations with these 500 workers,” said a senior official from a mega-industry located near Igatpuri. “Most of the workers want to go to their native places for a few weeks once the lockdown is over. We can’t stop them, but this may affect manufacturing,” he added.
Kolhapur collector Daulat Desai has issued instructions to all the government officials and police department to increase surveillance and ensure all precautions are taken. “The government has given permission to the industries to start operations. As a result, transport activities are likely to increase. It is our duty to ensure that the transporters follow the social distancing norms while carrying goods. Only three persons, including the driver, are allowed to travel in one vehicle,” he said.