Coronavirus: Business as Usual in Surat, Workers to get Hand Sanitizers and Masks
March 18, 20
(IDEX Online) - India's diamond bosses have voted unanimously to carry on working, despite fears over the Covid-19 pandemic.
Stakeholders rejected proposals for a 15-day shutdown in Surat, the world's cutting and polishing capital, which employs 550,000 workers.
Factory owners in Surat pledged instead to take precautions - hand sanitizers, face masks and regular screening of the diamond workers - according to a Times of India report.
The city's once-flourishing diamond industry is currently running at just 40 per cent capacity, according to Dinesh Navadia, regional chairman of the Gems and Jewellery Export Promotion Council (GJEPC).
Earlier this week figures revealed gross exports of rough and polished stones for February had slumped to $1.38bn, compared with $2.34bn in the same month last year.
Diamond markets in Varachha and Mahidhapura will open daily from 11 am to 6 pm. Merchants are being advised to limit their visits as much as possible.