31 Aug 2020  |   03:51am IST

We believe in being a part of the solution: Pradip da Costa

Verna Industries Association (VIA) was born out of a dream on July 12, 1996. Since that day under able leaderships VIA has been one of the most active industrial estates in Goa. VIKANT SAHAY spoke to its president Pradip A P da Costa who has recently been installed as its president on how VIA dealt with these difficult times.
We believe in being a part of the solution: Pradip da Costa

VIKANT SAHAY

HERALD: You took over as a President of the VIA and had to face one of the toughest challenges of recent times. Your comments.

PRADIP A P DA COSTA: I very much consider myself to be an accidental President. The then incumbent President, Blaise Costabir, was to take over as chairperson of CII Goa Chapter and thus wanted to be relieved of his responsibilities at VIA, much before the completion of his term at the helm of affairs at VIA. After much hesitation, I volunteered to step in to his shoes. As it is, it was a hot seat that I was taking over, with the legacy left behind by Nitin, Kochkar and Blaise himself, besides many others, which I could barely match. This was compounded by the predicament of COVID-19 that the world was reeling under. However, I was in for a pleasant surprise, the best part, though in unfortunate times, was that this virus has brought about a great sense of camaraderie and bonding among one-and-all, and the support that I have got from Blaise and Nitin and specially Kochkar and above all the member industries has gone into making light work of this predicament; in making this whole pandemic seem insignificant. 

HERALD: Can you quantify the damage caused by the pandemic?

PAPDC: At the moment it is very difficult to gauge the exact extent of damage caused, as the virus is still plaguing one-and-all.  In my personal opinion, the extent of damage shall be actually known by the end of the year at best, when all starts falling into place.

HERALD: Many companies in Verna Industrial Estate (VIE) had to be closed down due to COVID-19 positive cases. Are they following the Standard Operating Procedure? 

PAPDC: VIA has taken frontal approach by closely working with Goa State Industries Association (GSIA) in closely partnering the Government and ensuring the right SOP’s were released to the industries and amending them at regular intervals as per the situations. These were communicated to all manufacturing units within VIE. VIE having mainly manufacturing units of international repute, already have high safety standards and protocols incorporated, and thus are definitely diligently following the SOPs. Industries that were compelled to close down were more resultant of miscommunication between stakeholders. In fact, very recently the Goa Bench of the High Court has asked the Government of Goa, to ensure that the SOP released by VIA be used for horizontal deployment across all Industrial Estates in Goa, which speaks volumes of VIA’s commitment and endeavor.

HERALD: What safety measures are being adopted?

PAPDC: The guidelines of the SOP released by VIA are very clear and in clear sync with the guidelines of the MHA of the Central Government, as well as DHS of the State Government. 

HERALD: How are different companies in VIE, coming together to fight COVID-19? 

PAPDC: At the outset of the national lockdown, various companies promptly donated funds for ensuring that free ration was distributed to the stranded migrant labour to alleviate their woes. On an appeal from VIA, many a companies from VIE generously donated to the CM’s Relief Fund through sizeable monetary donations of about Rs 3-3.5 crore, and also to the South Goa District Disaster Management Authority with supply of fans, electric kettles, washing machine, floor cleaning machine, PPE kits, sanitizers, face-shields, nose-masks etc to support the COVID hospital. Very recently VIA with support of fellow Industries have set-up our own RT-PCR testing facility to ensure that ICMR approved test results are obtained in 24 hours, so as to help work on controlling and containing community transmission through the industry. VIE has also set up a 130-bed COVID care facility to house asymptomatic positive patients, thus reducing the strain on an already over burdened Government infrastructure. While the former is absolutely free for all from the industry across Goa, the latter is free for members of VIA and GSIA, for those availing these facilities. These two initiatives, we assume are a first by any industry association in India. All this has happened and still is happening, thanks to the close support that we have received from all members of VIA. In these critical times VIA has worked very closely with GSIA in helping labour, which no trade association has done. Along with GSIA we have also pushed and partnered the Government to facilitate the smooth reopening of industries in Goa, and also facilitated the Industry in getting their stranded workforce from the neighboring areas from across the border, which again, I do not think has really happened anywhere else in India.

HERALD: According to you, what measures should be taken to make workplace safe for employers and employees? 

PAPDC: As most companies already have the best safety practices and protocols in place, nothing additional is really required. However, as regards the Pandemic, we need to diligently follow the SOPs laid down, and ensure that every employee (regular / contract / daily wage) is clearly made to understand its importance, and develop them as a culture and a habit in themselves, and take it to the communities that they live in.

HERALD: What issues concerns you most and what measures is the association taking to tackle it?

PAPDC: Currently, all attention and focus is on Covid-19. However, going ahead, our main focus shall be on ensuring that VIE is a model industrial estate as envisaged by our founding fathers. This entails having an effective waste-management system in Verna, having a green cover over VIE and ensuring that we have eco-sensitive industries with negligible pollution levels. Partnering the Government with all other industry bodies (CII, GCCI, GSIA, etc) to ensure that the EODB (Ease of Doing Business) soon becomes a reality in Goa, and Goa leads the way for India. We in India have a huge potential to tap global manufacturing demand, and EoDB and a clear and consistent policy environment by the Government, is the only way forward to boost Industry investments, which will in turn greatly boost the much needed employment generation and revenue growth.

HERALD: What are the other significant contributions by VIA?

PAPDC: We at VIA, believe in following a two-sided approach. Unlike most associations we do not just work with expectations of the administration and the Government. We believe in a philosophy of partnering them. We strongly believe that instead of being a part of the problem, we need to be part of the solution. For years with strong support through CSR activities of the member industries, VIA has contributed significantly and still continues doing so, towards upgrading of the schools in neighbouring villages of Nagoa, Verna and Cortalim and all this, due to the strong support and commitments of our members. Hence, creating a great community-industry synergy and an environment of trust.

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