Can’t allow industrial units permission to operate during night shifts: Ajit Pawar

"There is no question of allowing industrial units in Pune Metropolitan region as the central government has asked us to enforce stricter lockdown," Pawar told The Indian Express.

3 min readPuneApr 22, 2020 10:51 PM IST

Pune coronavirus, coronavirus Pune, Pune coronavirus lockdown, Industries lockdown pune, pune city news, Ajit Pawar Pune

Pawar said the state government has received revised lockdown guidelines from the central government regarding its enforcement.

Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar on Wednesday turned down a request to allow industrial units in Pimpri-Chinchwad Maharashtra Industrial Development Corporation to function during night shifts.

“There is no question of allowing industrial units in Pune Metropolitan region as the central government has asked us to enforce stricter lockdown,” Pawar told The Indian Express.

Pawar said the state government has received revised lockdown guidelines from the central government regarding its enforcement. “Through the revised guidelines, the central government has asked us to enforce stricter lockdown to check the spread of the pandemic. And therefore we are following the guidelines strictly. The containment plan put in place in Pune and Pimpri-Chinchwad is part of our stricter lockdown guidelines. I had held a meeting with the divisional commissioner, district collector and municipal commissioners of both the civic bodies and told them to ensure lockdown compliance,” he said.

Earlier, the Forum for Small Scale Industries Association, which represents nearly 5,000 industrial units in the Pimpri-Chinchwad-Bhosari industrial area, had urged the state government to allow it to start functioning during night shifts. “During a meeting with the divisional commissioner and district collector last week, we had urged them to allow the industries to start their manufacturing facility at least during the night shift. The logic behind starting the night shift was that there was less movement of people on roads and vehicles, and therefore chances of the virus spreading were low. Also, we had promised that we would ensure stricter adherence to norms like wearing of masks, keeping social distance and washing of hands,” said Abhay Bhor, president of the Forum.

Bhor said if the lockdown continued, lakhs of workers in the industrial area would not get their salaries. “For one month, the industries have sustained themselves. They have given salaries to their workers. But if the raw material they have purchased remains unused, they will have to make payment to their vendors and will have nothing left for their workers if no manuafcturing takes place. How will these industries pay salaries if they don’t earn anything,” asked Bhor.

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Manoj Dattatrye More

Manoj Dattatrye More is a Senior Editor at The Indian Express, having been with the publication since 1992. Based in Pune, he is a veteran journalist with a 33-year career that spans editorial desk work, investigative reporting, and political analysis. Professional Legacy Experience: He spent his first 16 years on the editorial desk before moving into active field reporting. He has written over 20,000 stories, including more than 10,000 bylined articles. Impact Journalism: He is widely respected for "campaign-style" reporting that leads to tangible social change. Road Safety: His decade-long campaign regarding the dangerous state of the Pune-Mumbai highway in Khadki resulted in a ₹23 crore reconstruction project in 2006, which dramatically reduced fatalities. Environmental Protection: His reports against tree cutting on the Pune-Mumbai and Pune-Nashik highways saved approximately 2,000 trees. Anti-Corruption: During the COVID-19 pandemic, he exposed a scam where doctors were being asked to pay bribes for government jobs, resulting in them being hired without payment. Recent Notable Articles (Late 2025) Manoj More's recent work focuses heavily on the shifting political landscape of Maharashtra and civic governance in the Pimpri-Chinchwad area: 1. Political Shifts & Alliances "Ajit Pawar's NCP continues domination in Pune, wins 10 of 17 local bodies" (Dec 21, 2025): A major report on the local self-government election results, detailing the NCP’s stronghold in Baramati, Indapur, and Lonavala. "BJP ropes in 13 ex-corporators, deals major blow to NCP" (Dec 20, 2025): Reporting on a significant political defection in Pimpri-Chinchwad as the BJP gears up for civic polls. "Congress opts for solo BMC run as alliance talks with Sena (UBT) collapse" (Dec 17, 2025): Covering the breakdown of Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) talks for the Mumbai civic elections. "NCP(SP)'s Rahul Kalate, Sena (UBT) leader Sanjog Waghere set to join BJP" (Dec 19, 2025): Detailing high-profile party-hopping ahead of the municipal elections. 2. Civic & Administrative Accountability "PCMC draws ire for issuing tenders worth Rs 250 crore just before poll code" (Dec 17, 2025): An investigative piece on the Pimpri-Chinchwad Municipal Corporation’s last-minute spending spree before election restrictions. "93 killed in 76 accidents in five years: Bypass service roads in Pune remain undeveloped for 18 yrs" (Nov 16, 2025): A critical look at the long-delayed infrastructure projects contributing to fatalities on Pune’s bypass roads. 3. Social & Labor Issues "As state says TCS has laid off 376 employees: FITE flags figures, say nearly 2,500 were forced to quit" (Dec 11, 2025): Investigating conflicting reports regarding IT sector layoffs in Maharashtra. "Maharashtra govt move to 'downgrade' Aadhaar cards" (Nov 30, 2025): Reporting on the state’s decision to require additional documents alongside Aadhaar to combat identity misuse. Signature Beat Manoj More is the definitive voice on Pimpri-Chinchwad, an industrial hub he has covered for three decades. His reporting is characterized by its aggressive stance against local "gondaism" (thuggery) and a relentless focus on civic infrastructure—choked drains, garbage management, and public transport. X (Twitter): @manojmore91982 ... Read More

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