Rajanna Sircilla district weavers remain hungry as handlooms fell silent

Sircilla: The lockdown orders in the wake of Covid-19 spread had shutdown hundreds of power looms in Rajanna Sircilla district thus depriving thousands of handloom workers of their bread. Their survival has become a burden.

As many as 14,000 workers of weaver community are dependent on handloom and other related industries of cloth manufacturing etc and now facing lot of problems with the present ongoing situation across the district. They are seeking help from the government to bail them out of their hardships.

With the bulk orders of Bathukamma saris from the State government, about 10,000 workers are getting direct profits and another 5,000 are indirectly getting income.

Hundreds of new power looms have been established and busy in manufacturing various types of other cloth materials like banners, flags, curtains etc.

During normal days, each worker earns Rs 16,000 to Rs 20,000 per month, based on the meters of the cloth the weave in a month.

But the with shutdown on handloom industry in the wake of coronavirus threat, the handloom workers are not getting money from the past two weeks and living under miserable conditions.

The government announced of distributing 12 kgs rice and Rs 1,500 cash to the poor. But the handloom workers complained that the distribution is going on at a snail's pace and worried when the cash will be deposited in their accounts.

They are worried to death about their family members survival until April 14.

They alleged that the owners of handloom and other related industries are not giving money to them though the leaders of handloom workers union requested them on number of occasions.

The leaders of handloom workers union urged the government to understand the problems of handloom workers and bail them out from the crisis.