GHAZIABAD: As flood waters recede, Loni’s Tronica City Industrial cluster, which houses 2,000 units — mostly of hosiery — is counting the losses that many had prayed they wouldn’t have to see again after the pandemic.
Waters from the river in spate found its way into the basements and machine rooms of at least 1,800 units, according to estimates by the Indian Industries Association. The cluster employs more than 45,000 semi-skilled workers.
“The flood has dealt a body blow to industrial units in the area. The loss will be enormous, and it will affect the livelihoods of thousands of workers here,” said Neeraj Singhal of the association.
It was a double whammy for Rishi Pal, who owns a hosiery unit in B-3 Sector of Tronica City and had got his business on track after the pandemic losses.
He had recently installed machines worth Rs 40 lakh and is now worried that the electronics could be irreparable after being submerged in water for days. Like many others, raw material stored in the units was also destroyed in the flood.
“There was 3 feet of water in our basement, where yarn was stored, and in the machine room. Water is receding and we are yet to start the machine, but looking at the condition they are in, the damage may be permanent,” he told TOI on Monday.
He said his business had shut down during the pandemic, and he took a Rs 40 lakh loan to restart it.
“I revived my business after a lot of difficulty during the pandemic. Now, the flood has ravaged us in less than four years. Unless the government comes to our rescue, this will have devastating consequences on owners, workers and their families,” he said.
Ismail Khan, another factory owner, said he set up the unit after the pandemic, thinking that the industrial hub’s proximity to Delhi will be a boon.
“Little did I know that even this part of the country is not immune to the vagaries of nature. With no insurance cover, thousands of us are standing at the threshold of losing the little that we earned after markets opened post Covid,” Khan said.
The CEO of Uttar Pradesh State Industrial Development Authority (UPSIDA), which administers the area, on Monday held a meeting with industry owner associations after conducting a survey.
“The water is now receding. UPSIDA CEO Mayur Maheshwari visited the area and has instructed the power department to resume electricity supply to the area,” said Raghunandan Singh Yadav, DGM, UPSIDA.
The Authority CEO has formed a committee comprising deputy director of industry, UPSIDA official and representative of an industry association to assess the damage wreaked by the flood.
Asked what the losses could be, Yadav said he wouldn’t speculate at the moment. The industry owners, however, said it was likely to be Rs 1,000 crore.
Singhal, of the Indian Industries Association, said the committee will sit to assess the fallout of the flood.
“We expect the government to come up with assistance in terms of subsidy and financial help for industries to get back on their feet. It could take months, and the problem is aggravated by the fact that most MSMEs don’t have insurance cover,” he said.
On Monday, there was some respite as water level in Yamuna is slowly receding and the breach at the Alipur Embankment in the city was fully repaired. Still, water level at Pachera Gate in Loni was still over the danger mark.
“At Okhla Barrage, the level has come down below to 198.6m, while in Loni’s Pachera Gate it is still flowing a meter above danger mark. But I believe the worst is over,” said Binod Kumar Singh, an official of the irrigation department.
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