Pune:
Among the many areas of the country, the worst hit by recession is Pune. In Pimpri-Chinchwad, a densely populated industrial area, thousands of workers are out of a job.
Migrants have been forced to return home as Pune's industrial sector is facing its largest job cut ever -- of over 40,000 people.
Prakash Dhawale used to work in a machine shop till recently. But now, he is among 300 workers facing a threat to his job.
The company, which is an ancillary unit to Tata Motors, now wants to shut shop.
",Our children are studying, our daughters are yet to marry. We are thrown out on streets
like this. The government must help us,", he said.
Several small scale industries in Pimpri-Chinchwad have been hit in the last three months. And the situation is no better in the 7,000 ancillary units in this belt.
Just five months ago, many were running 24 hours in three shifts. Today, workers get just one shift of four hours leaving several of them redundant.
",As of now, over 40,000 workers have lost their jobs and we fear that number may increase,", said Nitin Bankar, President, Small Scale Industries Association.
Hundreds of migrant workers have been forced to return home.
",We used to have a lot of work here earlier. But now there is no work, so we are returning,", said Gagan, a carpenter.
No one is sure when the situation would improve. Till then, the exodus might well continue.
Migrants have been forced to return home as Pune's industrial sector is facing its largest job cut ever -- of over 40,000 people.
Prakash Dhawale used to work in a machine shop till recently. But now, he is among 300 workers facing a threat to his job.
The company, which is an ancillary unit to Tata Motors, now wants to shut shop.
",Our children are studying, our daughters are yet to marry. We are thrown out on streets
like this. The government must help us,", he said.
Several small scale industries in Pimpri-Chinchwad have been hit in the last three months. And the situation is no better in the 7,000 ancillary units in this belt.
Just five months ago, many were running 24 hours in three shifts. Today, workers get just one shift of four hours leaving several of them redundant.
",As of now, over 40,000 workers have lost their jobs and we fear that number may increase,", said Nitin Bankar, President, Small Scale Industries Association.
Hundreds of migrant workers have been forced to return home.
",We used to have a lot of work here earlier. But now there is no work, so we are returning,", said Gagan, a carpenter.
No one is sure when the situation would improve. Till then, the exodus might well continue.
