CEAT union raises concerns about arbitrary closure notices

The president of Mumbai Shramik Sangh and head of the workers' union at CEAT Tyres has raised concerns about the closure of factories to address air pollution in Mumbai. He argues that the CEAT factory is not a contributor to pollution and that the sudden closures are affecting workers' livelihoods. The union is calling for a swift resolution to the matter.

Mumbai: Vivek Monteiro, president of Mumbai Shramik Sangh and head of the workers’ union at CEAT Tyres, has raised concerns about ongoing efforts to address air pollution in Mumbai. In a statement released to the media on Monday, Monteiro asked why some factories, including the CEAT facility, have received closure notices, while others have been instructed to reduce production capacity. He also said that sudden closures were affecting the livelihoods of thousands of workers.

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In its efforts to curb air pollution, the Maharashtra Pollution Control Board (MPCB) on November 2 directed the CEAT Tyres factory in Bhandup to temporarily shut down production for violating environmental rules. MPCB also ordered respective agencies to cut water and power supply to the company, as reported by HT on November 4.

Monteiro said the CEAT factory was not a contributor to air pollution. “Scientifically speaking, the main source of air pollution in Mumbai is vehicular traffic. The CEAT factory, which diligently adheres to rigorous emission control procedures, is certainly not the problem,” he said.

Expressing the concerns of workers at the CEAT facility, Monteiro asserted their commitment to strict safety and hygiene regulations. He acknowledged that while the responsibility to address the issue lies with the management, the sudden closure order had jeopardised the livelihoods of thousands of workers.

“As the management complies with the orders, our livelihoods are at stake. Whom will we hold accountable? The management for complying with notices? Or the authorities, for whom a plant that has been complying with regulations for decades has suddenly and summarily become non-compliant?” questioned Monteiro.

The union urged the management as well as the government for a swift resolution to the matter and pledged to take necessary steps to safeguard the livelihoods workers against what they perceive as arbitrary decisions.