Industrial units, one of the major job providers in Thoothukudi district, have suffered huge losses in the recent rains that lashed southern districts. With their machinery and inventory destroyed in the rain, the industries are not in a position to restart operation, thus rendering thousands of workers jobless.
The rainwater has heavily damaged machines, raw materials and finished products worth crores of rupees in the industrial units. While many have faced losses due to damaged materials and machinery, a few are facing losses due to unsuitable conditions to resume production.
Among the 45,160 units that come under Micro and Small-Scale Industries (MSMEs) in the 10 taluks of Thoothukudi district, industrial units in five taluks have borne the brunt of the nature’s fury, said an official. “Estimation of damage and assessing the loss is under way. Though it is certain that the volume of loss will be huge, we are in the process of calculating the exact loss in each unit,” the official said.
M. Sharmila, proprietor of a dhal mill at Mappillaioorani, said their mill and surrounding houses were still inundated. “As our unit is on an elevated place, the machines and raw materials escaped the deluge, but the water has not receded till now,” she said.
As rainwater is stagnating throughout the area, water from the factory could not be let outside. “No steps have been taken by the officials to remove water from our area,” she said. Though there is no hurry to resume operation, still the machinery and raw materials should at least be protected as there is a forecast of another heavy spell soon, said Ms. Sharmila. Making note of the knee-high water in her factory, she said, “As we have already lost so much of materials, we cannot afford to lose materials and machines worth crores of rupees again.”
J. Celestine Villavarayar, president, Thoothukudi Container Freight Station Association, said that containers placed in about 16 Container Freight Stations (CFS) for import and export were mostly damaged, as either water seeped through the opening, or the containers got collapsed.
“The total loss will add up to more than ₹100 crore. It will impact the Ex-Im business in the form of delays, etc. We are not sure how much we can claim for the structural damage in insurance,” he said. Moreover, empty containers stored in about 18 depots were also damaged and reshaping them would be a Herculean task, he added.
Indian Chamber of Commerce president D.R. Kodeeswaran said that since the rain was unprecedented, no precautionary measures could be taken. “About 150 companies in the three industrial estates - SIPCOT, SIDCO and Korampallam Cooperative Industrial Estate - are mostly affected and it could take about a month to resume operation,” he said.
