Surat: Three diamond and textile factories shut for violating Covid rules

On Friday, the drive continued and the officials had found no SOP was followed and no rapid antigen tests were done at three diamond factories identified as Mangukia empire, Vision Laser diamond factory, Moradiya Creations, and Rakesh Textiles.

The Surat Municipal Corporation shut down three diamond factories and a textile factory in the Katargam zone for not maintaining Standard Operation Procedure for Covid-19 at industries. In the last two days, a total of five diamond factories had been shut by health officials of Surat for not maintaining SOPs.

The Katargam zone officials had started carrying out surprise checking at the diamond and textile units in their zone, to find out whether the diamond and textile factory owners had carried out rapid antigen test of their workers or not and whether the SOP is being followed or not.

On Friday, the drive continued and the officials had found no SOP was followed and no rapid antigen tests were done at three diamond factories identified as Mangukia empire, Vision Laser diamond factory, Moradiya Creations, and Rakesh Textiles.

An official who was part of the raid, on condition of anonymity, said, “In the big factories, when the team reaches the main gate, we are told to wait there for some time. The factory supervisor gives some excuses and after ten minutes of waiting, they allow us to enter into the factory premises. In majority of the big factories, CCTV cameras are installed outside the main gate. When the managing staff of the factory sees us in the CCTV visuals, they inform the manager who asks the diamond polishers to put on masks. They also make sure that only two persons are sitting near the emery wheel. All this is done during our waiting time. If we insist to enter into the factory premises, they start threatening us.”

Katargam Zone Executive engineer R M Gamit said, “We are having shortage of staff as a result of which our teams are unable to reach everywhere. If more teams are provided, we can bring shocking results.”

Courtesy: Indian Express