As many as 8,000 employees and workers have lost their jobs after several industries, hatcheries and mining units in Vizianagaram district were forced to down their shutters due to the economic slowdown caused by the COVID-19 pandemic and the lockdown, the Centre of Indian Trade Unions (CITU) said on Sunday.
A roundtable conference was organised in Vizianagaram on Sunday to seek the government’s support for employees and labourers who lost their livelihood.
CITU general secretary of Vizianagaram district T.V. Ramana said that week-long agitations have been planned in the district. “We will meet Minister for Municipal Administration Botcha Satyanarayana on October 10 as part of the Samuhika Rayabaram, a collective consultation programme,” said Mr. Ramana.
A. Gowri Naidu, a trade union leader from Garividi, said that the mining industry had stopped its activity completely, leading to denial of livelihood to thousands of people living in Cheepurupalli, Garividi, Gurla and other places. “With huge losses, hatcheries have shut shop. They did not receive any financial support from the government. It had a cascading affect on labourers depending on those units,” said B. Suryanarayana. M .Ramana of Kothavalasa industrial zone said that closure of Jindal Ferro Alloys and other units in the industrial zone had made life miserable for employees and labourers who are struggling to get by without wages.