Tirade against north Indians affects construction industry

By Shivaji

Pune, Feb.21 : The recent attacks by alleged workers of the Raj Thackeray-led Maharashtra Navirman Sena, a newly floated breakaway part of Shiv Sena, against north Indians in Mumbai and Pune has badly affected the construction industry.

Builders are at odds after workers, which include several plumbers, masons, electricians, winch operators etc. from Uttar Pradesh and Bihar, have fled the city following attacks by MNS workers.

Construction activities at numerous sites and projects have come to a halt. Consequently, the developers, builders and contractors are a worried lot.

"All labourers are going to different cities where they can earn well due to whatever issue was created recently. It has left a bad impact, as the construction schedule will be spoiled. Labour has been affected by 30-40 percent in numbers and to overcome a great loss is not easy. Our schedule, our target dates will really get affected and because of this, our members' commitment can also fail," said Lalit Kumar Jain, the President of Pune Builders Association.

Some local organisations, working for porters, construction workers and casual labourers, recently embarked on a mission to apply balm on migrants' wounds.

These organisations during their meet set up a National Integration Committee (NIC), and charted out an action plan as a confidence-building measure among the migrants in the city.

One of the resolutions passed at the meet was to encourage participation of the north Indians in all festivities in near future.

Ninety per cent of the work force engaged in Pune come from different cities and out of this, 60 percent are labourers from Bihar and UP.

It is also feared the stoppage of construction activities can adversely affect the plans of hosting certain events of the 2008 Commonwealth Games to be held in Pune.

ANI