We have collected
bank data of poor
workers in the
trading businesses.
Initially, BDB has
promised Rs 5000
per person as relief
fund
Mehul Shah, Vice
President, Bharat
Diamond Bourse
(BDB)Surat, arguably the world’s
largest workshop for
diamonds has seen an
unprecedented lockdown,
because of the recent government
impositions in order to control the
coronavirus pandemic. The city is
home to about two million workers
in the sector, including skilled
artisans. This lockdown has hit
diamond traders badly, with every
extension announced by the
government the blow worsened.
Currently, the diamond and
jewellery business has come to a
standstill. This is a global crisis
which every authority is trying
to mitigate it in its own way. The uncertainty of the scenario has
made it more challenging.
As per Gem & Jewellery Export
Promotion Council (GJEPC)
data -- India’s imports of rough
diamonds are down 22 per cent
as compared the first quarter of
last year, and polished diamond
exports have declined 18 per cent.
This has contributed to overall
exports falling in five of the past
six months, pushing down India’s
GDP growth to a six-year low of
4.5 per cent last quarter.
Currently, the prime concern
for most business owners is
for how long they can continue
giving salaries to their staff, without booking any profits. “We
have spoken to the government
authorities, we are doing the best
we can to ensure that diamond
workers do not starve,” informs
Dinesh Navadiya, regional
chairman of GJEPC.