Lack of power and water supply, employees’ inability to come for work, non-delivery of the consignment and production loss due to rainwater entering the workplace are some of the challenges that micro women entrepreneurs have to deal with in the aftermath of the cyclonic storm Hudhud.
The entrepreneurs feel that they really have to stretch beyond their capabilities to tide over the present crisis. It would take at least another week for V. Kamakshi of SS Paper Industries to restore normalcy. “One of the orders is still pending as we could not get transport to deliver the consignment. Our work has been severely affected due to shortage of power, water and other resources,” she says. As there are no fresh orders in hand, she puts the loss at Rs.40,000.
Business came to a grinding halt for two weeks for P. Rupa’s garment manufacturing unit B & G Apparel at Pedagantyada. She has not only to cope with the lost consignments but also pay salaries for employees who do not have any work on hand. “Some of the stock was damaged due to rainwater seeping through the broken window at the unit. Since the sewing machines alone have been insured, we have to bear the consignment loss.” Shortage of manpower, lack of business and short circuit at the showroom led to a loss of Rs.1.5 lakh for P.V. Lakshmi of Ananya Garments. She says that it would take at least a couple of months to get the business back on track.
