Decks have been cleared for the reopening of over 100 hard coke factories, as many brick kilns and other micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs) in Dhanbad after a meeting of industry owners with deputy commissioner (DC) Amit Kumar on Wednesday.

During the meeting, DC Kumar cleared the air on the confusion over the Union home ministry’s guidelines on operating the industrial units that have been allowed to restart production, but with some riders.

The traders, under the banner of Jharkhand Industries and Trade Association, also raised the issues that the motor dealers’ association, stationery item sellers and flour mill owners were facing.

Rajiv Sharma, general secretary of the trade outfit and owner of an electrical item manufacturing unit at Kandra industrial area, said: “During the meeting, the DC clarified that all industrial units situated outside the municipal limit, including those engaged in the production of non-essential items, can resume operations. However, those engaged in the production of non-essential items can’t sell or transport their finished products.”

He said besides hard coke factories and brick kilns, refractories, iron and steel fabrication units, induction furnaces, rolling mills, stone crusher units, steel pipe, plastic, electrical and rock wool units, tyre resoling industries, coke and coal screening and resizing industry situated outside the municipal limit could also resume operations.

However, they will have to strictly adhere to the Union home ministry’s guidelines such as engaging only one-third of total staff strength; practising social distancing, mandatory use of masks by workers and officers inside the factories and provision for washing hands during work and also while entering and leaving the factory premises.

“We also raised the issue of sale of electrical items such as fans, which has been permitted by the central government. The DC clarified that electrical shops can only sell fans and not any other electrical products,” Sharma said.

He added that the reopening of stationery shops, motor parts and automobile service units had also been permitted.

The traders also handed over a cheque of Rs 25 lakh to the DC to be deposited in the chief minister’s relief fund to fight the novel coronavirus pandemic.