Debt traps push Sircilla weavers to suicides

Loans borrowed for various needs are being cited as the main reasons for almost all the suicides so far. Unable to clear debts, weavers are taking the extreme step

Rajanna-Sircilla: Suicide deaths of weavers are continuing in Sircilla textile town. The suicides, which began in January this year after the change of government in the State, saw the latest additions on Friday and Saturday.

Loans borrowed for various needs are being cited as the main reasons for almost all the suicides so far. Unable to clear debts, weavers are taking the extreme step. However, while weaving community is attributing suicides to lack of employment, officials claim all of them were not genuine.

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Weavers, who used to get adequate work during the previous BRS government’s tenure, are unable to get employment due to lack of government orders such as Bathukamma sarees and others. As a result, a majority of the weavers as well workers in allied sectors have lost employment opportunities during the last one year. As a result, they are borrowing money to run their families, healthcare and other needs. This has become an additional burden for weavers, who were already reeling under financial troubles.

13 weavers have ended their lives since January this year in Sircilla alone. While seven died up to June, the remaining five ended their lives after August. In the last 24 hours, two people have ended their lives. While Dusa Ganesh ended his life on Friday, Nakka Srinivas was found hanging on Saturday.

However, out of 11 counted by the government, compensation was provided to only two weavers – Bairi Amar (Rs.5 lakh) and Erram Komuraiah (Rs.2 lakh). Amar and his wife Sravanthi ended their lives by hanging in their Venkampet residence on November 9. Amar, who used to run powerlooms besides engaging in small businesses, sold his looms four months before as there was no work during the last seven months. Borrowing some amount, he started a bedsheet and cover manufacturing units. However, he ended up suffering losses. Unable to clear their debts, the couple died by suicide.

Komuraiah had borrowed Rs 10 lakh for the construction of his house and for the weddings of his children. Unable to clear the subsequent financial burden, he ended his life on November 13.

Speaking to Telangana Today, Assistant Director, Handlooms and Textile, M Sagar informed that a three-men committee comprising of Revenue Divisional Officer, AD Handloom and Textiles and Sub-Divisional Police (DSP) was recommending names to the government for compensation after finalizing the genuineness of suicides. So far, compensation was provided to Amar and Komuraiah.

Commenting on the deaths of Ganesh and Srinivas, he said the official opinion was that they were not “genuine” weaver suicides. Ganesh, who had family disputes, had not attended work though his employer asked him to join duty. He borrowed money from a private finance company, who mounted pressure on him to clear debts. Meanwhile, Srinivas was staying away from the weaving profession since 2020 and was engaged in different works including as an autorickshaw driver. Being in the weaving profession was a must to recommend the names for compensation, he said.