The reported closure of Government of India Press here has drawn flak from the public and political parties and organisations have condemned the decision.

The press on Mettupalayam Road had been functioning for the last 50 years, on a sprawling 132-acre plot and had 463 quarters for employees. It met the government’s printing requirements.Though the employee strength was reduced to 75 from 1,000 some 30 years ago, the press has working on orders from the State and Central Governments for the next four years.

According to Thanthai Periyar Dravida Kazhakam general secretary K Ramakrishnan, the Centre has decided to reduce Government presses to five from the present 17 across the country, without allocating a single one to Southern States of Tamil Nadu, Karnataka and Kerala.

The press is being taken over by the Land and Development Office and amount thus collected would be utilised to modernise the presses in the North, he said.

The decision would seriously affect the livelihood of the employees, he added. Considering the pending orders and future of employees, the closure has earned public wrath.