K.K. Mustafah

Diamond cutting in progress at a unit in Thrissur. The workers were on strike for several days demanding higher wages. Diamond cutting and polishing industry, spread over five panchayats in Thrissur district, is losing out to its counterparts in Gujarat and Maharashtra. This has resulted in sharp decline in the supply of raw materials to Kerala units. The number of workers, which used to be over 25,000, has now dropped to around 5,000 and they are also on the way out. The number of units has come down from 300 to 70. The strike has now been called off following the promise of increased wages.

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