Surat, the world’s largest diamond cutting and polishing center, is getting back to business with “a new protocol to fight the spread of COVID-19”, according to Rough & Polished.
Around 300 positive cases have been reported from the diamond polishing units since the lockdown was lifted, and according to new rules, every polishing unit “will have only two workers working on them instead of the usual four”. Other measures taken: in the case of one worker reporting positive from a certain floor in multi-storied polishing units, the entire floor will be quarantined for a week; in the case of more than three workers, the entire unit will be shut down for a week.
In addition, “workers with hypertension, diabetes or above 55 years of age” will not be asked to work. The diamond market, as well as the safety vault, will remain closed on Saturdays and Sundays.
