Layoffs & Worker Suicides: What’s Ailing Surat’s Diamond Industry?

According to the Surat Diamond Workers’ Association, 25 lakh diamond polishers are spread across Gujarat. 

(Photo: Altered by The Quint)

Diwali is just a month away! Lights, sweets, jewellery... these are what the festival of lights is ALL about. But in Gujarat's diamond city of Surat, this Diwali won't be as bright.

At least five diamond workers have taken their own lives in the past few weeks, two of the incidents taking place this week.

With thousands of diamond workers left unemployed in Surat, the festival of lights may be dark in the diamond city.

In this edition of the Big Story podcast, we explore Gujarat’s Diamond Industry Crisis.

According to the Surat Diamond Workers’ Association, 25 lakh diamond polishers are spread across Gujarat. Out of this, around 66,000 people have been laid off in recent weeks.

Some reports claim that nearly one lakh workers have been laid off in Gujarat’s diamond industry since December 2018.

You’ll hear from them in this podcast.