Weavers unable to start work without clearing pending bills

After operating looms for one week, they again stalled work as the assurance remained on paper.

Rajanna Sircilla: Sircilla weavers, who have shut their looms during the last two and half months due to lack of work, are eagerly waiting for work orders from the state government. They say their financial condition is so weak and that they would not be able to start work immeidately even if orders were placed, as pending bills were not yet cleared by the Government.

All put together, there are Rs 275 crore of pending bills. So, it has become a huge burden for master weavers, who weaved Bathukamma sarees, RVM uniforms, KCR Kit, Ramzan and Christmas gifts by investing the money, since they do not have money to spend.

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Unable to take up work due to lack of financial troubles, they closed looms. Out of 30,000 looms, only few looms engaged in cotton cloth weaving are being operated. 20,000 to 23,000 looms have been stalled.

As a result, about 25,000 people including 10,000 weavers, 2,000 owners and others lost employment. Besides weavers, people from 14 ancillary sectors such as warping, sizing, folding workers, autorickshaw drivers, welders, loading workers and others also depended on the sector.

As there was no response from the government about clearing pending bills, Polyester Clothes Association and Powerloom workers stalled on January 15 and staged protest demonstrations. Following the assurance from the government that it would purchase their produce and place new orders, they resumed looms on January 19.

After operating looms for one week, they again stalled work as the assurance remained on paper.

Speaking to Telangana Today, Polyester Cloths Association president Mandala Satyam said that they were unable to operate looms even if the government placed orders without clearing pending bills. Handlooms and Textiles Minister Tummala Nageshwar Rao assured to take steps to provide employment to weavers through the year besides clearing all pending bills. However, neither handlooms and textiles department officials nor the government consulted them so far.

He wanted the government to clear bills besides placing order. Mutually Aided Cooperative Societies (MACS) general secretary P Shankar wanted the government to take steps to follow the old system of providing 50 percent subsidy on power supply.