The Hindu Business Line : 70 per cent of diamond units reopen in Surat

AHMEDABAD: Intervention of the State Government seems to have paid off for diamond units in Surat as around 70 per cent reopened on Tuesday after nearly two months, said sources in the diamond industry.

According to Surat Diamond Association (SDA), around 70 per cent units have reopened today while remaining units are expected to reopen by January 1, 2009. “In the meeting with the Labour Commissioner, we had requested the units' owners to reopen so that workers get work,'' SDA President C P Vanani told PTI.

Following the extended vacation by diamond unit owners in Surat the state Labour Commissioner Vatsala Vasudev had held a meeting with the representatives of diamond industry and had asked them to reopen by Monday.

Many units have reduced work hours because of shortage of rough diamond as gems and jewellery promotion council has stopped the import of rough diamond till December 30,'' Vanani said.

Diamond Workers Association President Babubhai Jirawala said that the Surat labour officer visited 50 units, out of which 41 were open while other will reopen gradually by January. Earlier, extension of vacation in the diamond industry had sparked fears of large scale retrenchment of diamond workers as the global financial crisis has hit the industry. - PTI

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