Another weaver dies by suicide in Telangana, Congress Govt remains mute spectator

Most of the suicide deaths have been after weavers, sitting idle without work for six months, became unable to run their families, to clear off debts and to afford healthcare expenses.

Rajanna-Sircilla: Even as the Congress-led State government remains silent on the annual order of Bathukamma sarees worth Rs.350 crore to weavers, one more weaver died by suicide after he came under immense financial stress due to lack of work. The last six months have seen at least 11 weavers taking their lives after going out of work since the current government stopped giving orders that were an annual practice during the BRS regime.

Most of the suicide deaths have been after weavers, sitting idle without work for six months, became unable to run their families, to clear off debts and to afford healthcare expenses. The latest was the death of Kudikyala Nagaraju (47) of Sircilla, who consumed acid and ended his life on Friday. He took the extreme step when his family members had gone outside. A resident of Rajivnagar, Nagaraju used to work on powerlooms to run the family. He slipped into a financial crisis after running out of work. Moreover, Nagaraju had borrowed Rs 4 lakh from private money lenders for his treatment and other expenditures. Nagaraju, who left his home three days ago, returned on Thursday night and consumed the acid on Friday. He was survived by his wife Lavanya and sons Lokesh and Vignesh. Lavanya is a beedi roller.

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The disturbing spectre of suicides, a menace that haunted weavers in the erstwhile Andhra Pradesh, had almost stopped after the previous BRS regime initiated multiple steps to ensure round the year work for the weavers. However, the new Congress government has been inexplicably slow in continuing with the orders, leading to weavers resorting to the extreme step from January. The first was a weaver, 55-year-old Alok Kumar, who was found hanging in the textile park in Thagallapalli of Sircilla, apparently because he was not able to find work. Guggilla Naresh of Khammam too took his own life in January. This was followed by the death of 42 year-old weaver Thadaka Srinivas in March.

In June, a 63 year-old weaver, Bollabathini Venkatesham, ended his life by jumping in front of a running train near Kothapalli on the outskirts of Karimnagar. Venkatesham’s story highlights the change in fortunes of weavers in Telangana. He had migrated to Bhiwandi from the erstwhile AP to work in weaving units and returned after the formation of a separate Telangana, when work orders began coming from the government. However, with the situation changing again, he ended his life.

When representatives of weavers’ cooperative societies met Agriculture and Handlooms Minister Thummala Nageshwar Rao earlier this month, the Minister had claimed that the Telangana State Handloom Weavers Cooperative Society was given orders worth Rs.255 crore. However, weavers in Sircilla said the ground reality was different. Except for Rajiv Vidya Mission (RVM) orders, they say they have not received any other order during the last five months. While the Textile Park got an order to weave 60 lakh metres of RVM uniform cloth, polyester weavers got an order to manufacture 19.60 lakh metres of cloth.

Though they registered their protest by stalling 25,000 looms for about two and half months earlier this year, there was no change in the attitude of the government, the weavers said. According to Mutually Aided Cooperative Societies (MACS) general secretary P Shankar, from pending bills worth Rs 275 crore, the government had released Rs.150 crore in two installments. However, the amounts were not provided to MACS societies, he said.

The weavers point out that the Bathukamma saree order, an initiative launched by the previous BRS government, had brought about a major change in their lives since they used to get employment through the year since the order was worth a staggering Rs.350 crore. Apart from for Bathukamma sarees, the previous government used to place work orders for school uniforms, KCR kits, Christmas and Ramzan gifts and sarees for Anganwadi teachers and Aayahs as well. Every year, the total worth of orders used to range between Rs.500 crore to Rs.550 crore. However, the weavers, who used to earn Rs.16,000 to Rs.20,000 per month, are now struggling to get employment due to lack of orders from the government.

A psychologist working with weavers said though there could be multiple provocations for a person to decide to end his or her life, weavers were resorting to the same due to lack of employment.

Weavers’ suicides in Telangana in 2024

• January – Alok Kumar, Thagallapalli, Sircilla/Guggilla Naresh, Khammam

• March 13 – Tadaka Srinivas, Sircilla

• March 17 – P Venkanna, Khammam

• April 7 – Siripuram Laxminarayana, Sircilla

• April 25 – Ega Raju, Sircilla

• April 26 – Adicherla Sai, A Mallesham, Sircilla

• May 23 – C Ramesh, Sircilla

• June 16 – Bollabathini Venkatesham, Karimnagar

• June 22 – Kudikyala Nagaraju, Sircilla