Allow Karnataka garment factories with 50% staff: Employers' Association

The Karnataka Employers' Association (KEA) on Monday urged Chief Minister B S Yediyurappa to allow garment factories to work at 50% strength with strict Covid-19 measures.

The state government has decided to permit industrial activities, especially manufacturing, but not garment factories.

"Garment factories employ the maximum number of employees next only to agriculture. In Bengaluru alone, there are more than 8 lakh workers employed in this sector. Whilst other industries have been permitted to operate with minimum or 50% strength, permitting garment industries also to work on the same basis will help a large number of workers," KEA president B C Prabhakar said.

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"The garment industry has already received a lot of orders with strict timelines to deliver. European markets have just opened and they have sent huge orders. If there is a delay in supply of finished goods to the buyers, it will result in huge penalty and losses and also it will result in employment loss," he said, adding that total closure could lead to an exodus of workers.