Taloja MIDC fears labour shortage after industries open

Even as industries at Taloja Maharashtra Industrial Development Corporation (MIDC) in Panvel are looking forward to a government announcement of resuming operations, they fear they will not have enough workers.

The Taloja MIDC has around 3 lakh workers, among which, 2.5 lakh are migrants. With many migrant workers leaving the city, the Taloja Industries Association (TIA) said that they would be the worst-affected once they start operations.

Satish Shetty, president of TIA, said, “There are 974 industries at Taloja, among them, only 169 which are into essential services are operational. We have been unable to stop migrant employees from leaving city. Since there was no clarity on when the industries would start and food and job security, migrant workers went to their home towns.”

Shetty said labourers are paid in cash but they haven’t got salaries since March. “Most owners of the industries live out of Navi Mumbai and they didn’t get an e-pass to come and meet the labourers and convince them to stay,” said Shetty.

Taloja industries have a turnover of around Rs60,000 crore a year.

The association said they would encourage locals to join after industries open but there will still be a shortfall. It has contacted a few labour contractors.

The association has kept its office open all days except Sundays and are in constant touch with those who have decided to stay back.

Subodh Prasad, 40, from Ballia in Uttar Pradesh, an employee in a company at Taloja, is doing the rounds of the registration centre for the train journey.

“I live with four others in a rented home at Taloja village. We waited for a month and even our employer did not know when industrial activity would start. We are running out of money and food so we have no option but to leave the city,” said Prasad.

Mahesh Lala, 32, worked in a chemical unit at Taloja. He will leave for his home in Purnia, Bihar, in the next train.

“I don’t know if I will come back. We have nothing left. The house owner asked us to vacate the house if we can’t pay rent,” said Lala, who lives at Taloja village with his wife and three-year-old son.