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Shivani Bhakoo
Tribune News Service
Ludhiana, December 13
The local industry is worried, especially those running their units on less than 359 square yard, as the Local Bodies Department is planning to bring new building bylaws under which small industries on less than 359 square yard will not be allowed to run.
The president of Janta Nagar Small Scale Manufacturers’ Association here, Jaswinder Singh Thukral, said he, along with councillor Ikbal Singh Deeko, met Secretary, Local Bodies, A Venu Prasad in Chandigarh today.
“If such a step is taken by the Local Bodies Department, the small units will be ruined. Thousands of such units are running across Ludhiana city. These are mixed industries, including electroplating units, cycle parts manufacturers, garment and hosiery manufacturers, etc. We have been operating in the city for the past several decades. How can the government suddenly ask us to shut small units? This is our daily bread and butter. Besides, we have employed thousands of skilled and unskilled labourers. What will be their fate? This proposal of the Local Bodies Department is uncalled for. We will not let it happen,” said Thukral.
Both Thukral and Deeko said the small industry was the backbone of Punjab and so many things were dependent on it. “The secretary gave us a patient hearing and assured us that no such step to ruin the industry will be taken by the Local Bodies Department. He has assured us that the matter will be discussed in detail with the senior officers, and before reaching any conclusion, the industry will be heard properly,” said Deeko.
A memorandum was also submitted to the official on behalf of the Industry. Thukral said be it Janta Nagar, Moti Nagar or the interior part of the city, all units running there were small and those were operating smoothly. “They can not put a ban on the running of small units by simply bringing new building bylaws. The government needs to see the pros and cons of the situation. The industry will be ruined,” said Thukral.
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