HYDERABAD: Marka Tirupati worked as a diamond cutter with the Gitanjali Group for 12 years. The 55-year-old was even given the ‘best employee award’ a couple of years ago. However, with the massive financial fraud of Gitanjali Gems coming to light and the company going under, Tirupati today is one among the 635 people left in lurch without a job at the Hyderabad Gems SEZ. The terminated employees have been protesting outside what was their office for the past five days, hoping for an alternative job or compensation. On Friday, distraught over his bleak future, Tirupati attempted suicide by hanging himself inside security guard’s room. He was saved by his alert former coworkers.
About 285 of those employed in the park are persons with disabilities; Tirupati being one among them. He has hearing and speech impairment and physically disabled. Interacting with Express, Tirupati recounted how he had started working for the company for a monthly salary of `750 and gradually climbed up the ladder to earn `15,000. “My only daughter is sick. Most of my salary goes to her treatment,” Tirupati explained in sign language and by writing. “Now we have nothing, and nobody. It’s difficult for someone like me to find another job.”
It’s not just Tirupati, most others whose services have been terminated are stranded. Take the case of N Ailamma, who works in the jewellery shining department and her daughter Sandhya who works in the diamond cutting wing. “I had taken a loan of `3 lakh for Sandhya’s marriage that was to happen in March.
But now that both are jobs are gone, the marriage has been called off. I have no clue how I am going to repay the loan,” says Ailamma.
President of the Gitanjali Gems and Jewellers Workers Association Kotha Mahender Goud alleged the State government had washed its hands off claiming the matter did not come under its purview. “If the government can enter into MoUs with such companies, they should also ensure our job security,” he said.
Labour dept tries to help
Deputy commissioner of Labour DSL Pramod Reddy visited the protest venue on Friday. He requested the management of Srikrishna Jewels, which also operates from the same SEZ premises, to give jobs to some of the employees who have lost jobs.