The exemption given to match industry from the lockdown appears to be in vain as the 400-odd units in Virudhunagar district have started running out of splint.
Since the southern districts are a major hub for the industry and meet country-wide demand, Collector R. Kannan allowed conditional reopening of the units.
“Only some 30-50 workers are employed in the units predominantly located in Virudhunagar, Sivakasi and Sattur,” said G. Nagarajan, president, All India Chamber of Match Industry.
Though work started on March 8, the units have been operating with minimum capacity to ensure social distancing and other safety measures for workers.
The units have also been able to move the finished goods — categorised essential — to different States such as Uttar Pradesh, West Bengal, Bihar and Kerala with the help of the district administration.
However, the industry is dependent on Kerala for 80% of splint. And it appears that the supply of the important raw material may soon run out as production units in the neighbouring State remain closed due to the lockdown.
“We make some 20% of the splints here with logs imported from European countries. But with the pandemic leading to global lockdown, fresh stocks have not arrived,” Mr. Nagarajan said.
Virudhunagar MP B. Manicka Tagore has written to Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan to allow manufacture and dispatch of splints from his State to Tamil Nadu. “The stock of splints with match units in Virudhunagar could last for only a few days,” he said.
A huge workforce is dependent on the industry for its livelihood, he added.
