Notwithstanding the relaxations given by the Central government for certain industries to operate from Monday, the Andhra Pradesh government has not been able to take any risk in allowing them to start their operations.
Such was the caution the government is adopting is that the state industries department had given permission to only four industries out of 242 industries that have applied for no-objection certificate for reopening outside the Red Zones.
Only two industries in Chittoor and one each in Srikakulam and Krishna could get the NOC, though many others who applied for the NOC are outside the Red Zone area. The department has not been allowing any industry in the Red Zones.
For instance, in the industrial hub of Visakhapatnam, where majority of IT companies and largescale manufacturing units are located, not a single unit was given permission though 60 companies have applied for reopening, as the entire port city has been declared as Red Zone.
Similarly, in Vijayawada, where several small-scale industries are located in the Autonagar industrial estate, 45 applications were received for reopening, but permission was granted to only one industry on the first day, because of the Red Zone restrictions.
In Anantapur, 52 companies applied for restarting but none of them. South Korean automobile giant Kia Motors India and its ancillary units have also remained shut.
Similarly, 24 industries in East Godavari, 11 in West Godavari and six in Guntur also applied for restarting but did not get the approval for commencing operations because of Red Zone areas, industry sources said.