KOCHI: The misinformation spread by a government notification regarding containment zones left employees and officials of Cochin Special Economic Zone (CSEZ) in panic and reportedly resulted in tonnes of perishable items going to waste on Thursday, October 1.
Around 2,000 employees who gathered near the CSEZ entrance gate on the day were denied entry by the police owing to the misinformation that the entire area was a containment zone and the subsequent closure of the place.
CSEZ officials said the issue was resolved only by noon, after District Collector S Suhas declared Covid affected areas as micro containment zones, allowing other units to function. “The delayed action by authorities led to various perishable items, including 20 tonnes of fish, vegetables and fruits that are supplied on a daily basis, going to waste,” said K K Pillai, president of CSEZ Industries Association.
At present, five out of nine companies in Covid-19 affected areas that deal in essential commodities are functioning with 20 percent staff as per the guidelines issued by the district administration. The remaining four companies were shut down by authorities on Thursday. The non-compliance of youngsters, who constitute the majority of the workforce at CSEZ, to Covid guidelines is one of the reasons pointed out by employees for the sudden rise in Covid-19 cases in the area.
CSEZ has stepped up efforts to reduce the chances of further spread of the virus. “A group of officials, including the development commissioner and assistant development commissioner, is monitoring the staff for any Covid protocol violations,” said Joy N V, a security official. CSEZ has decided to conduct antigen tests of all its employees.Many companies at CSEZ are facing financial crisis due to shortage of staff owing to the loss of migrant workforce and decrease in exports.