To maintain supply chains amidst lockdown, Govt allows 258 industrial units across Jammu

JAMMU: In order to maintain the supply chain of essential commodities for the people of J&K during the ongoing lockdown imposed to prevent the spread of Coronavirus, the administration has allowed as many as 258 industries in the Jammu region to undertake nine processing or manufacturing activities.
In a set of orders passed in the recent days, Anoo Malhotra, Director, Industries and Commerce Jammu, and Simrandeep Singh Secretary to the J&K Government, Food, Civil Supplies and Consumer Affairs, have allowed the industrial units, and food and civil supply units falling under the indicative list of essential commodities to restart their operation with minimal staff

SECTOR-WISE BREAKUP
52 Rice Mills & Shellers; 58 Flour Mills; 17 Oil Mills; 3 Dal Mills; 2 Iodized Salt units; 24 Animal, Poultry feed & supplements; 56 Packaging Material industries; 34 Pharmaceuticals & Healthcare units; 12 Packaged Drinking Water Units


CONDITIONS TO RESTART ACTIVITY
• Confine activity confined to essential commodities or packing material; Undertaking required
• Staff & workers to be staggered, even during breaks; Only one third of staff allowed at a time
• Units to approach DC office for required passes for individuals, for commuting vehicles
• Ensure social distancing in vehicles, their sanitization; Bare movement, trips to be allowed
• Minimise commuting, make worker stay in and around unit, provide masks, health check up

Notably, the indicative list of essential commodities includes flour, dal, rice, oil, iodized salt processing; animal feed and supplements, poultry feed; pharmaceutical products, life saving drugs, medicines, hand sanitizers, surgical bandages, masks, oxygen gas; packaged drinking water; pesticides and agro-chemicals; packaging material, dispensers and bottles for essential commodities.
While allowing the food and civil supply units to operate, Simrandeep Singh asked the Deputy Commissioners of Jammu, Samba, Kathua, Udhampur, Rajouri, and Ramban districts where the units are located, “In order to ensure no disruption in supply of Atta/Rice/Dal/Oil during the ongoing period of lockdown, you are required to pass instructions to the field functionaries to allow these mills to operate smoothly. Mill owners shall be required to obtain passes for operation with minimal staff, as mentioned.”
While giving permissions to the units to function amidst lockdown, Anoo Malhotra has asked the General Managers of respective District Industries Centres to ensure that the units are engaged in manufacturing of essential commodities only. The official communication underlines the line of activity each unit is allowed to pursue, in addition to the notified minimum requirement of staff.
“The General Managers shall liaise between the unit holders and the concerned District Administration to ensure that the units manufacturing essential commodities become functional so that the supply of the essential commodities is not disrupted,” Director Industries & Commerce Jammu has instructed.
She adds, “Any further additions/modifications in the lists of units issued by this office, in the light of decisions taken in the meeting (held in the office of DC Samba on 25 march 2020), shall be issued subsequently.”