Mail News Service
Jamshedpur, May 7: Jamshedpur is one of the rare or possibly the only industrial city yet untouched by the coronavirus pandemic. But, in spite of being in the green zone like the rest of the Kolhan Region, there has been no relaxation of lockdown regulations by the Jharkhand government. There was anticipation among citizens that being in the green zone, lockdown would be softened in the city and district but the state government dropped anchor and the lockdown will remain in force as of the phases I and II till May 17. This is in spite of the central government�s orders. So, Jamshedpur and the rest of Jharkhand will be under lockdown till May 17 and who knows, may be beyond.
Prominent human rights activist Jawaharlal Sharma said, �I fail to understand what is happening here. On the one hand, the Jharkhand Chief Minister says that his government would abide by the decision of the Centre but on the other hand, in spite of the central guidelines the lockdown in the state has not been relaxed. We are in the green zone yet we did not receive the relaxation due for even orange zones. For all practical purposes, barring Ranchi, all other districts in the state are mostly in the orange zone and Kolhan Region in the green zone. Then why this toughness for the three districts of this Region?�
The fact that Tata Motors has not been able to resume production has led to a virtual paralysis in the ancillary industries with production in most industries in the Industrial Area of Adityapur and Gamharia which are heavily dependent on the automobile major and other major concerns coming to a halt. Even industries in the rural belt have taken a beating as there are no takers presently for their finished goods.
In spite of it all citizens are cooperating with the government and administration in this lockdown period. But the economic status, like in other parts of the country and the world, is definitely not in the pink of health. Singhbhum Chamber of Commerce and Industry (SCCI) in a letter to the Chief Minister has urged that markets be allowed to function. SCCI general secretary Bharat Vasani has written that industrialists and businessmen had been supporting every move of the government but the trading community is an exasperated lot due to the lockdown. Vasani has urged that Kolhan Region being in the green zone, at least shops be allowed to open as businessmen had to survive.
Deputy Commissioner Ravi Shankar Shukla, speaking on this score stated that since migrant workers, students and other citizens stranded in other states due to the lockdown were being brought back to the state and districts, there were possibilities of viral infection and thus the decision to extend the lockdown till May 17 was taken as an additional protective measure.
