The Cochin Chamber of Commerce and Industry has welcomed the State Government’s move to intervene and direct the labour department to withdraw the notice issued to one of the industries for non-compliance with the provisions of law, which was struck down by the High Court.

The Chamber apprehended that negative publicity would send wrong signals to existing as well as prospective investors in the state at a time when all other states were wooing industrialists to set up units to generate employment.

It is necessary for the State to have trade and industry running which, in turn, will provide employment to get the economy back on track, as the pandemic was still looming large.

While the government department may want to implement the law in its literal sense, a grievance redress mechanism at the highest level will alleviate the fears of many industrialists so that a normal industrial atmosphere continues to exist for industries so that they do not get whisked away by other states.

This will also enable the Government to intervene before the matter gets precipitated. News of the loss of even one industry, irrespective of the reason, would not be welcome for the State, the Chamber president K. Harikumar said.

As perceptions about the industrial ecosystem play a major part in deciding investment decisions, the Chamber appealed to the Government to call a meeting of all prospective and existing investors so that their concerns, if any, are addressed at the initial stage itself.

The trade body also proposed to the government that giving industry an opportunity to explain their side would help in improving the ranking in ease of doing business.

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