India-Pakistan cricket series sets Kullu cap industry on a roll

     Kullu: Guess what is the relation between the famous Kullu caps and India-Pakistan cricket series? The Kullu cap industry got a boost after the recently concluded cricket matches. Kullu Caps, which are famous for its traditional beauty and style, were high in demand during the season. Exquisitely woven, colourful and hand made Kullu caps have become famous all over the world now. This rise in sales was mainly because of the fact that the Pakistani cricket team was gifted with Kullu caps when they visited Dharamsala to play a match with India. The Chief Minister of Himachal Pradesh, Vir Bhadra Singh, is also an avid fan of the Kullu cap. He can be been seen wearing the popular Kullu cap at all times. The splendour of Kullu caps has cast a spell in the region. Kullu Cap is a colourful article made out of woollen cloth. The cap is round in shape, having a colourful border is woven on small looms. "We make around 10 to 12 caps in a day. The price range of the caps is from 10 rupees to 25 rupees. We earn around 100 to 150 rupees a day", said Sabe Ram, a local cap maker. "Every village has cap makers. This industry employs thousands of people", said Ram Singh, a whole seller of Kullu caps. Foreign tourists visiting Kullu make it a point to buy the famous Kullu cap and they are also exported to many countries. "Now this cap has become famous in countries like Switzerland. We have customers from Canada also", said Ram Singh, a whole seller of Kullu caps. The cap making industry employs around 20,000 to 25,000 workers. The government is supporting the industry by making self-help groups and giving training.
-April 21, 2005

Oil pollution hits tourism in Goa  (Go To Top)

     Candolim Beach (Goa): Goa, a state famous for its Sun-kissed beaches, is facing a crisis as leftover of an oil slick off the coast is keeping tourists away from the sand and the surf. Once the favoured site of Sun-bathers, today most tourists are avoiding the polluted sand giving the beach a deserted look. Oil spills and waste from the ships which collects at the ports is posing a grave threat to not just the ecology of the region but is also a sign of an impending health hazard. Recently the collision of a Singaporean bulk carrier with a Goan iron-ore bar led to an oil spillage. The leakage of around 110 metric tonnes of oil has resulted in oil deposits on the shores. "Oil spillage spoils the beach. It is such a lovely beach but it gets on the feet and toes when we walk. It is puts you off from going down to the sea. So, I don't like it. It is bad. It is a shame," said Angela, a tourist from England. A large number of tourists flock the state during summer to indulge in a variety of water sports like scuba diving, snorkeling, water diving and also catch a glimpse of the corals. Keeping in mind the large tourists influx, the state government has stepped in to salvage the situation by initiating a massive clean-up operation. "Yes, as soon as tar oil are sighted on the beaches, the Director of Tourism and the state Oil Pollution Board immediately swing in action and cleaning operation takes place, which is done efficiently and very fast by deploying labour and material," said AP Mascarhenas, Captain of Ports (Administration), Goa.
-April 13, 2005

Indian silk industry faces Chinese competition  (Go To Top)

     Bangalore: Sericulture in India has taken a severe beating with cheap silk from China swamping Indian markets. India imported around 9,258 tonnes of silk worth over six billion rupees last year from China, the world's largest silk producer. Nearly 49,000 hectares of mulberry crop was uprooted in Karnataka as cocoon prices crashed resulting in a loss of 3,000 tonnes to the country's overall silk production, according to statistics released by the Central Silk Board,. "Dumping of silk yarn from China has affected the production of silk because the rate of cocoons in the market has come down because the demand has been reduced due to import of China silk. So farmers who were expecting a better income for their cocoons stopped because market was fluctuating. When the imported silk came in, dealers lost their interest in buying the cocoons and farmers did not get the better rates. This has resulted in 49,000 hectares of mulberries being uprooted in Karnataka. In turn the farmers have taken up other activities, other agricultural productions rather than continuing with mulberry," H. Hanumanthappa, Chairman of the Board. Karnataka accounts for more than 70 percent of the country's silk production. Farmers said their crops also suffered from the third consecutive drought last year. "Our state is in a plight, farmers have switched over to other crops," said Farooq, a silk yarn worker from Ram Nagar, 75 kms from Bangalore. Farmers are demanding that the government should impose anti- dumping duties on Chinese silk. India stands second only to China in silk production. While China produced 69,000 metric tons of raw silk last year, India stood far behind with 16,000 metric tons. Officials say India requires 120,000 metric tons of silk to meet the demand in world market and with better infrastructure facility; the sericulture industry could improve its productivity to 15 percent as against the current nine percent.
-April 13, 2005

Apple gardens in full bloom at Kullu (Go To Top)

     Kullu (HP): The season's unprecedented snowfall and rain has proved to be a boon for apple production even though it has disturbed the life of the common people in the state. Apple production is the main occupation of 80 per cent of the people here. Having seen the full bloom of flowers, gardeners have begun to spray fertilisers. Known as the "Apple Bowl of India", Himachal Pradesh is the largest producer of apples in the country. It is the mainstay of the local economy with hundreds of them earning their livelihood from the orchard industry. "The apple trees have blossomed well and are very healthy because of the heavy snowfall. The trees have received the required chilling hours and the problem of water shortage has also been solved. So there is hope for a good produce this time", said Nakul Khullar, gardener. The gardeners are very happy with this year's snowfall. As the apple trees have blossomed well, they expect to earn large profits. "This year the snowfall is sufficient and flowers can be seen blossoming on the apple trees. This is good news for us as our livelihood depends on the apple produce", said Jolu Ram, gardener. Spread across nine districts of the state and grown on an area of 96,000 hectares of land, the industry provides employment to almost 800,000 people. This year the snowfall has broken earlier records leading to good production of apples.
-April 13, 2005