Cement Firm Flouts Lockdown In AP, Uses 20 Hamalis For Unloading In COVID-19 Red Zone

VIJAYAWADA: In what can be seen as a case of utter disregard for public health and lockdown curbs, a cement company of Tamil Nadu unabashedly carried out unloading of cement bags from a freight train at the railway station in Renigunta of Andhra Pradesh on Monday.  Chettinad Cements, a cement subsidiary of Chettinad Group of Companies, employed more than 20 labourers, locally called ‘hamalis’, for unloading a massive 1350 tonnes of cement bags into waiting trucks, according to media reports.

This brazen violation of lockdown, being enforced across the country to break the chain of Coronavirus spread, came to light after locals of Renigunta town alerted television news channels. Starting from early morning, the hamalis engaged for this purpose have been unloading the cement bags into waiting trucks. The total of the cement bags that are being unloaded is believed be over a staggering 22,000 with no authorities in sight to intervene. As per the media reports, this consignment of cement was meant for transportation to various places in Chittoor and Nellore districts.

The insensitive move by the Chettinad Cements company at the height of the Coronavirus contagion has sparked a wave of fresh fears within and beyond Renigunta which falls under the Chittoor district. Incidentally, Renigunta is already declared as a COVID-19 red zone keeping in view the number of Coronavirus cases reported there. Red zones are where the lockdown measures are strictly implemented with no room for any relaxations.

What’s even worse, the cement company has clearly glossed over all the precautions needed to be taken: The hamalis had no masks and gloves to wear and safety measures like social distancing were given a complete miss. The indifference of the cement company management in so carelessly carrying out the unloading operations flouting the lockdown measures is evoking sharp reactions from the people of Renigunta. The locals demand the authorities to immediately put a halt to the cement unloading operations at the Renigunta railway station and stringently enforce lockdown to ensure public safety.

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