More diamond units to be crushed out

With little help forthcoming from the state or the central government, diamond workers have been left to grapple on their own with the harsh reality of day-to-day survival. Reeling under lay-offs, suicides and broken promises on education fees and food, the workers now face another impending upheaval — closure of more units from March.

And though they have been trying to meet chief minister Narendra Modi for at least one month, there has been no response from the state government. An angry Jaysukhbhai Vekaria, president of the Diamond Workers’ Association, said, “The centre has at least announced slashing of import duty on diamond roughs from 30% to nothing. But the state government has taken no initiative to help the workers.”

The association leaders now plan to meet the Governor, Nawal Kishore Sharma, on Wednesday to apprise him of the situation.

Vekaria was unhappy about unfulfilled promises. “The Ahmedabad Diamond Association had promised to pay the school fees of the children of diamond workers who had been laid off but that has not happened and the schools are demanding fees,” he said “The ‘Ek Muthi Anaj’ programme launched by the Vishwa Hindu Parishad to provide foodgrains to the workers has also fizzled out. We have not been given any food except on the first day when they made a grand announcement in front of the cameras.”

President of Ahmedabad Diamond Association Vinubhai Jogani, however, insisted the fees would be paid by next week. Diamantaires in Surat have already announced that units will be shut from March.