Gujarat: Diamond workers' union logs 1,600 calls on help hotline since 15 Jul

A suicide helpline number launched on 15 July by the Diamond Workers Union Gujarat (DWUG) has received more than 1,600 distress calls, a functionary associated with the initiative said on Monday.

Citing media reports, DWUG vice-president Bhavesh Tank said 65 diamond workers have died by suicide in Surat in the last 16 months, most of them taking the extreme step owing to hardships caused by salary cuts and job loss, a result of the slowdown in the industry.

Surat is among the premier centres of the diamond sector, with about 90 per cent of the world's rough diamonds being cut and polished here by around 10 lakh workers employed in more than 2,500 units.

"We launched a suicide helpline number on 15 July. So far, we have received more than 1,600 calls, with many of them saying they are on the brink of ending their lives owing to financial stress. Most of those who call have been made jobless in the last few months. They also call in distress looking for employment," he said.

"Many who have suffered salary cuts by as much as 30 per cent call seeking help in paying their children's school fees, house rent, home and vehicle EMIs etc. Due to the Ukraine-Russia and Israel-Gaza conflicts as well as weak demand in key market China, there is oversupply, which has resulted in 50,000 workers losing their jobs this year," Tank explained.

Incidentally, at an event on Sunday, Lalji Patel, chairperson of Dharmanandan Diamonds, a diamond manufacturing company with a unit in Surat, announced Rs 15,000 financial assistance to each student and distributed cheques to needy families from the sector.

"The closure of small diamond units has led to some jewellers losing their jobs and they are unable to run the household and even pay their children's school and college fees," Dharmanandan Diamonds said in a statement.

Amid a rise in suicide by diamond workers unable to bear the financial crunch, the Surat Diamond Workers Union recently launched a helpline number where several workers requested for assistance in paying their children's school and college fees, it said.

"After surveying the financial status 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 15,000 each for school fees," it said.

Patel said his firm is taking this step as there is an atmosphere of depression in the diamond industry and it wanted to ensure the education of children is not affected. If other companies also come forward with such initiatives, some of the problems of workers in the diamond industry will be alleviated, he insisted.

Recently, Surat-based Kiran Gems announced a pause in production for 10 days, giving an extended vacation to its workers. Other units are operating for 4-5 days a week with truncated work hours owing to inventory imbalance, industry representatives said.

This is the first time in five decades that there has been a recession for two consecutive years, with the situation worsening in the last six months, they said.

Dinesh Navadia, chairman of Indian Diamond Institute, said the biggest reason behind the slowdown in the industry is the Russia-Ukraine war as well as Chinese traders not buying natural diamonds, which has worsened the situation.

"It is very important that other diamond units also think like Dharmanandan Diamonds and come forward for help. If this happens, it will create a positive atmosphere in the diamond industry," Navadia asserted.