Lockdown effect: India’s largest scientific instruments industry in Ambala reluctant to re-open despite relaxations

India’s oldest and largest hub of scientific instruments in Ambala district, with nearly 2,000 small, medium and large-scale units, is facing the heat of lockdown despite some relaxations given by the state government earlier this week.

Five days on, only a few of these units fulfill the conditions of operating in the district, an office-bearer claimed. Industrialists assert that the relaxations are not enough to re-open the units and the conditions are creating confusion for them.

With an annual turnover of nearly ₹2,000 crore, most of these units supply the instruments to educational and technical institutes or export them to other countries. Closure of these buyers and further raw material markets in Punjab, Chandigarh and Delhi, will remain a big problem even if they re-open their units.

Ambala Scientific Instruments Manufacturers Association president Sanjay Gupta said, “Most of the small or medium units are spread across the industrial areas of both Ambala Cantonment and Saha town, while there are also some micro-units in Ambala Cantonment and surrounding villages. The government has asked us to fill forms online that will allow us to re-open our units, but the form itself is very complicated and is creating confusion for us.”

“The labourers we have engaged come mostly from nearby villages and other parts of the district. The industrial space is not sufficient to accommodate them all and arrange for their food, so most businessmen are reluctant to open their units. The few who have applied, their applications are being rejected. As per my knowledge, there is not a single unit that is operating, but news reports citing government data are claiming that a couple of them have started working,” Gupta added.

There are two industrial areas in the district – Ambala Cantonment and Saha. The latter is dominated by bottling plants associated with Coca-Cola, Tuborg, Frooti and other aerated/non-aerated drinks. There are also some units of packaging and scientific instruments in this area. Pointing out the “strict conditions” by the government, Saha Industrial Area Association president Rajbir Chaudhary said the conditions are creating confusion, but the clearance on FIR in case a worker gets infected, has come as a relief.

“We were expecting more relaxations from the government, but the strict conditions imposed are not favourable for the industrialists. The government has asked us to complete medical insurance-related process for the workers among other conditions, but it is not possible on such a short notice. However, the government’s clearance that there will be no FIR against the owner if a worker tests positive for Covid-19, has come as a relief and I expect this will motivate many to begin operations. Out of 225, over a dozen industrial units are operating in Saha right now,” Chaudhary said.

Deputy commissioner Ashok Kumar Sharma, however, refused to mention particularly about scientific instruments and said, “We allow only those units to re-open and start operations who fulfil the prescribed conditions, as directed by the state government. There are over 100 varied units that have started operations in the last few days in the district.”