Led by Tata Motors which has 8,000 employees, nearly 7,000 small, medium and large-scale industrial units located in Pimpri-Chinchwad, Bhosari and Talawade observed what many described as “forced” holiday following directives from the State Election Commission to grant paid holiday to the workers. As industries counted their losses, one estimate said the industrial units collectively were dented by a staggering Rs 300 crore.

After State Election Commission’s stern directives last week, district collector Chandrakant Dalvi had threatened to file criminal cases against industrial units, shops, multiplexes, theatres and other business establishments that refused to grant a full day paid holiday to their employees. The directives seemed to have worked as Pimpri-Chinchwad industrial belt ground to a halt. However, shops in Pimpri Camp — the shopping nerve centre of Pimpri-Chinchwad — buzzed with activity as shopkeepers granted holiday to their employees, but their families managed the show for the day.

B D Chavan, additional director, Industrial Safety and Health department, said at nearly 30 places, both in Pune and Pimpri-Chinchwad, they found factories functioning. “After our squad reached the place, the managements allowed the workers to go home,” he said. Chavan said they would be submitting the report about such violations to the collector. “The action about filing criminal complaints would be taken by the Election Commission,” he said.

But the industry is not happy with “forced” holiday. “Looking at the percentage of polling, it is clear that despite a complete shutdown by industries, things did not improve,” said Suresh Mehtre, president of Pimpri-Chinchwad Small Scale Industries Assocation. “We will now stress this point with the Election Commission. And next time, if the EC does not listen we will file a writ petition in the court,” Mehtre said, adding the shutdown was total and losses could run into over Rs 300 crore.

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