Cashew units in Odisha's Koraput defy safety norms, despite state being under lockdown

The district has 44 cashew nut processing units and mostly employ women labourers from Jeypore, Kundra, Koraput, Dasmantpur, Boipariguda, Kotpad and Semiliguda.
For representational purposes (Photo | Parveen Negi, EPS)
For representational purposes (Photo | Parveen Negi, EPS)

JEYPORE: Even as the State Government has enforced strict social distancing norms and other precautionary measures to prevent spread of coronavirus, some cashew nut processing mills in Koraput district continue to engage workers in large numbers and exposing them to the risk.

Owners of these units bring the labourers in jeeps and vans to their mills in the morning and leave them in their houses in the evening.

Throwing social distancing norm to the wind, at least 10 women are brought in one vehicle and this goes unchecked by police.

The district has 44 cashew nut processing units and mostly employ women labourers from Jeypore, Kundra, Koraput, Dasmantpur, Boipariguda, Kotpad and Semiliguda.

Over 4,000 women labourers are engaged every day by these units and this has posed a serious challenge for the administration.

A labourer of Umuri, Raila said she has been going to work every day.

But their transportation and workplace are far from safe. Neither there is any special arrangement for hand washing nor social distancing made mandatory in the mill.

Most of the mills operate near villages which make it easier for the owners to get labourers and also escape the vigil of administration.

Sub-Collector LN Dalbehera said stringent action will be taken against the owners of cashew processing units who keep their mills open from Tuesday midnight.

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The New Indian Express
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