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Boom time for Sikkim wood carving industry

       Gangtok: Wood carvings in Sikkim is gaining huge popularity among buyers . India is home to some of the finest cottage industries in the world and wood carving is one of them. In Sikkim wood carving is done on a range of products like "Choktses" or square carved tables with decorative lucky signs. Typical designs like dragons, birds and phoenix are a common feature in wood artefacts. "We do carving according to the choice of the customers. We try to put traditional designs," said Namgyal Bhutia, an instructor in the Directorate of Handicrafts and Handloom, which runs a training institute in various handicrafts. The industry has generated employment in the state, giving new hope to the youth who usually move out in search of jobs. "Here, we are being trained in the art of wood-carving. We would be trained for about five years. After the completion of the course, we are asked to work in production centre. But before working in the production centre, we have to work here," said Bijay Gurung, a student. Many buddhist monasteries in Sikkim are decorated with wooden carvings. Sikkim's famous mask dance, which uses wooden masks display the expertise of the local artisans. The masks they wear are either wooden or made of papier-mbchi and they are all hand made.There are more than 90,000 carving centers with around 260,000 artisans involved in the trade.
- Oct 31, 2004

Firozabad's bangle industry in the doldrums (Go to Top)

      Firozabad: Firozabad's bangle industry has already suffered a loss amounting to over a hundred crores in twenty days due to a workers' strike. The workers are protesting against the arrest of their leader, Mukesh Yadav, whom the police have declared a noted gangster. "The agitation we are facing cannot be labelled as the 'labour- trouble'. It is clearly a case of hooliganism and anarchy-like situation is prevailing in the area. About 10,000 workers are being affected directly and about 90,000 workers who do job-work at homes and also in units are being affected indirectly. We have suffered a loss of production of about 200 crores of rupees. About 20 crore of rupees of tax have been lost. This loss is irrevocable," said Ravinder Garg, a bangle manufacturing unit owner. According to Ashok Upadhyay, the president of the glass industries syndicate, an organisation which works for the progress of the glass industry, the entire episode is an outcome of some antisocial planning. "The workers are being scared off by some anti-social elements. The workers are being threatened that they should not go to work, otherwise they would face disastrous consequences. The worker is really frightened. The administration has not been able to create an amiable environment. Few of the workers have, though, returned to work, but it would require efforts by the administration to get more of the workers to work," said Upadhyay.

       But the workers have a different story to tell. They allege that one of their leaders has been detained on false charges since he worked for the interests of workers. "The workers have been working here for about 11-12 hours per day since last 20 years. There was no union of workers to thwart this. Then 'Kaanch Udyog Krantikari Majdoor Sangh' came into existence. We had put forward our demands last year but to no avail. So, we were agitated," said Bhuri Singh Yadav, the leader of the workers' union. "We have talked to both the parties. We are making efforts for the return of workers to their work. But their demands of releasing Mukesh Yadav and others detained after his arrest don't come in our criteria. We are not in the condition even to negotiate these demands," said Deputy Labour Commissioner Rakesh Dwivedi.
- Oct 27, 2004

Handloom weavers on the verge of extinction  (Go to Top)

       Karaikudi (Tamil Nadu): Thousands of handloom weavers in Karaikudi village of Tamil Nadu are driven to squalor and poverty following competition from powerlooms. There are about 5,000 affected workers in Karaikudi, located 400 kilometres from state capital Madras city, famous for its exquisite handloom work especially "sarees" or five metre drapes worn by Indian women.

       These weavers now have to travel hundreds of kilomtres to neighbouring areas to sell their final product, which takes them days even months in the making. Once a booming industry, the traditional handloom industry is slowly on the verge of extinction due to government apathy. Economic condition of weavers has further deteriorated compelling some of them to commit suicide. Even the state-administered Handloom Board is of no help and benefits do not reach the weavers.

       "With very low investment we are doing our business. The subsidy given by the govenment is not enough. So we are unable to make any profit," said Devraj, who travels for hours to sell his one saree. Selvan, another weaver, said they could not match the cheaper prices of the machine-made sarees. "Inspite of several advantages in handloom sarees people always prefer powerloom sarees because of low cost. So for us the business has been less," said Selvan.
- Oct 24, 2004

Where Ravana's effigy is not burnt (Go to Top)