Blood Diamond

Bharat Ribadiya 35 is one among Surat8217;s 10-lakh diamond workers hoping against all odds to thread life anew. The labour-intensive, export-oriented industry is sliding into its worst crisis; and if reports from the US, Europe and Japan, are to be believed, things could get even bleak. The diamond consulting firms are crying havoc over reports that GDP growth of most diamond importing nations like the US, Japan, and other European countries may go negative in 2009. If that happens, the diamond industry will end up on a ventilator. This, however, has not made Ribadiya give in even as many are ending their lives in desperation. Ribadiya works in a small unit in Vrundavan estate of Varachha area in Surat. 8220;Barely six months ago, we were around 80 people working here. Now, we are only 20 to 25 people. But we are fighting,8221; he said. The condition is no different for more than 10,000 units in Surat alone. Some of them have indefinitely extended the two-month 8216;vacation8217; for the units despite state government8217;s diktats to keep them open.

The Rs 75,000-crore industry was hoping for some support from the state and Central governments to pull it up, including power tariff remissions and relief packages for jobless workers. Their hopes were quickly dashed when Chief Minister Narendra Modi, instead asked the unit owners to formulate their own bailout packages for the workers. As things stand, the only glitter in the industry is of tears.