With nearly 25,000 gold jewellery making workshops and smithies closed from Tuesday, the small-scale jewellery making goldsmiths have appealed to District Collector K. Rajamani to reopen the workshops.
S.M. Kamal Hasan, president of Coimbatore Goldsmiths’ Association, said a team of goldsmiths met the Collector on Tuesday. “We wanted permission to reopen the workshops. The cases reported on Monday were from factories. In the workshops, the goldsmiths work at home. Hence, there is very little possibility for the workers or goldsmiths going out. However, the Collector has said he will not be able to do so till the spread is contained,” he said.
“It is only in the factories that there are more number of workers. Hence, restrictions should be for these units. We (goldsmiths) explained the problems that we face to the Collector. The government should, otherwise, provide adequate financial support to the goldsmiths,” he added.
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Acording to B. Muthuvenkataraman, president of Coimbatore Jewellery Manufacturers’ Association, the goldsmiths are the worst affected. However, it is essential to contain the spread of COVID-19. The Collector has assured that he will relax the containment restriction in phases. The goldsmithies and factories have limited access to visitors. However, the workers and goldsmiths should not go out much even if the restrictions are removed.
“We expect more orders as Chennai market is re-opening. But, all the workshops and factories are closed here now,” he said.