As part of its efforts to exploit the international reputation enjoyed by the knitwear products manufactured in Tirupur, the knitwear capital of the country, the Tirupur Exporters Association (TEA) has approached Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman and Tamil Nadu Chief Minister Muthuvel Karunanidhi Stalin with pleas to speed up the Covid-19 vaccination programme  for its workers and relaxation in lock down rules.

Tirupur Exporters Association (TEA), the umbrella organisation of all knitwear and casualwear manufacturers in the district, asked Chief Minister Stalin to allow the industrial units in the district to operate with the available workforce.

Raja M Shanmugham, president, TEA, told The Pioneer that the knitwear units could not operate for four weeks continuously because of the total lock down ordered by the Tail Nadu Government in the backdrop of increasing cases of Covid-19, which is known in the region as WUHAN Virus.

“The State administration allowed us to operate with 10 per cent workforce last week for preparing samples for the next season and buyers across the globe have expressed satisfaction with our new designs and quality products. Hence we are requesting the Chief Minister to consider the plea favourably as this is an ideal time for us to make gains by meeting the export requirements,” said Shanmugham.

The TEA chief also requested the chief minister to make vaccines available to the knitwear manufacturing units and ancillary units in the district to ensure the safety of the workers so that the units could take up the international orders. He said all units in the district follow the Covid-19 guidelines and hence the vaccinated employees stand no chance of facing the pandemic attack.

In separate letters to Prime Minister and Finance Minister, Shanmugham has asked for making vaccines available through the Employees State Insurance Corporation for a Mass Vaccination Drive in the district for the benefit of the employees.

This is the first positive signals coming from the industrial units in Tamil Nadu that they are willing to face the international challenge. “There has been a marked change in the way people dress in western countries now. The formal dresswear has given way to casual wears because of the work from home rules. This is our hour as people prefer to wear casuals while working from home,” said Shanmugham.

 In a memorandum to Prime Minister and Finance Minister, Shanmugham had said that the knitwear units in Tirupur, facing cash liquidity issues, have the potential to employ three lakh workers in the next three years because of  the changed global scenario. As on date the TEA companies employ a total of six lakh workers, majority of them coming from other States.

Published On : 11-06-2021

Source : Daily Pioneer