Knitwear units blamed for surge in virus cases

The outbreak of a coronavirus cluster from a textile firm operating illegally stands testimony to infections staying above 1,000 on a daily basis from the district. Though the COVID-19 curve has begun to flatten after the lockdown, it has failed to bring desired quick results unlike Chennai due to secret operations of the textile units.

“Many textile firms continue to operate with workers staying inside the company premises. Officials shouldn’t wait for complaints to act upon the erring units and instead carry out frequent inspections to stop their operations and prevent the spread of COVID-19 among workers. The textile units which were allowed to operate initially were ordered to close after we took up the issue with the state government following outbreak of COVID-19 clusters in industries,” said SP Sundarapandian, president of Aam Aadmi Party, Tirupur district. Following rampant complaints, the officials of the district administration have cracked the whip on at least five textile firms functioning clandestinely over the last couple of days. In one of the units, 47 women tested positive for coronavirus sending shock waves among the authorities.

“Among the COVID-19 infections reported from the district, the industrial workers were in significant numbers, rather than others. The case load would have dropped faster if the firms suspend their operations by adhering to norms. This was the reason why cases remain high in neighbouring Coimbatore and Erode districts too,” said an official from the Health Department. The district recorded 1,161 new COVID-19 cases on Friday as against 1,264 on Thursday.