look news india
The suicide helpline number launched in Gujarat by the Diamond Workers Union Gujarat (DWUG) on July 15 has received over 1,600 distress calls from people associated with the sector, an official said on Monday.
Reporting on media reports, DWUG Vice President Bhavesh Tank said that 65 diamond workers have committed suicide in Surat in the last 18 months. Most of them took this ultimate step due to the difficulties caused by salary cuts and job losses, which is a result of the slowdown in the industry. Surat is one of the major centers in the region where about 90 percent of the world's raw diamonds are polished. This work is done by 10 lakh workers working in more than 2500 units. He said that we started this helpline number on July 15. So far we have received more than 1600 calls. Many of whom have said that they are on the verge of giving up their lives due to lack of money. Most of the callers have been unemployed for the last few months. They are also having trouble finding employment.
The tank further said that those whose salaries have been cut by up to 30 per cent are seeking help to pay their children's school fees, house rent, EMIs of home and vehicle loans, etc. The key market is also facing a supply crunch due to weak demand in China as well as the Ukraine-Russia and Israel-Gaza conflicts, which have led to 50,000 workers losing their jobs this year.
Lalji Patel, chairman of Dharmanandan Diamonds, a diamond manufacturing company in Surat, announced financial assistance of Rs 15,000 to each student at a function on Sunday and handed over cheques to needy families in the region. Dharmanandan Diamonds said in a statement that the closure of small diamond units has left some people unemployed and unable to run their households and even pay their children's school and college fees.
Amid rising incidents of suicides by diamond workers unable to deal with the financial crisis, the Surat Diamond Workers Union has recently launched a helpline number. Where many artisans have appealed for help in paying the school and college fees of their children. The statement said that after surveying the financial condition of the families seeking financial assistance, they were given cheques for school fees. A cheque distribution programme was organised on Sunday. In which 40 students studying in schools and colleges were given cheques of Rs 15000 for school fees.
Patel said his company was taking this step because the diamond industry was in a recession and they wanted to ensure that children's education was not affected.
