The Hindu Business Line : Tirupur business worried over recurring violence

THE recurrence of violent incidents in Tirupur has again led to a demand for the shifting of the office of Coimbatore rural district SP from here to the hosiery town Tirupur.

The incidents have also raised concerns about their impact on the business prospects of the town, which makes a substantial contribution to the export earnings of the country.

The demand for relocating the Coimbatore Rural district SP's office from the city to Tirupur within the Coimbatore district had been voiced in the past by leading trade organisations based in Tirupur-including the Tirupur Exporters' Assocation (TEA) and the South India Hosiery Manufacturers' Association (SIHMA).

Apart from stray incidents of communal violence, what has been agitating the minds of the business community there is the sense of insecurity because of the growing crime graph in the city.

The police strength in the town is inadequate to cope up with the increasing growth in vehicular traffic and with crime prevention and detection and law and order.

It was in February this year, in the wake of the abduction of an industrialist for extortion, demands were made for shifting the Rural district SP's office from here to Tirupur.

The SIHMA President, Mr Mohan P. Kandaswamy, in a statement issued on September 28, in the wake of the latest eruption of violence in Tirupur, said it was regrettable that incidents that tended to disturb the industrial peace in the town had taken place.

This would have serious impact on the economy of the town and its ability to meet export demand. The town accounted for over Rs 5,000 crore in export earning and more than Rs 1,000 crore domestic sales and provided employment to about two lakh people. He appealed to the people to maintain communal harmony.

Mr Narinder Pal Singh, IGP, West Zone, Coimbatore, in an informal chat with newspersons here on Monday, said the recurrence of violent incidents in the hosiery town might cause concern among buyers not only from India but also from abroad. Already some people in Mumbai had expressed concerns about the situation in the town, which they planned to visit.

Referring to the recent violent incidents in the city, he said the situation has been brought under control and adequate police strength was available to deal with any situation. He said strict action would be taken against the guilty.

The IG said for the forthcoming India Knit Fair in Tirupur, the police would take adequate security precautions.

Send this article to Friends by E-Mail
Comment on this article to BLFeedback@thehindu.co.in

Stories in this Section
Easy excise method for petro pipelines

Court upholds TN's order on textile workers' wage dispute

All-round growth lifts GDP by 6 pc in Q1

Non-food credit triples in first five months

Revenue inflow trims fiscal deficit figure

AP Transport Dept nod for pollution testing centres

Global Hospitals to start liver ICU

Wockhardt launches new cancer drug

Awareness drive on heart diseases

Heart care for lower income groups