Rising silk yarn prices hit weaving industry

SUALKUCHI, Dec 23 – The continuous rise in the prices of essential raw materials of pat and tasar fabrics has been posing a serious threat to the livelihood of the weavers of Sualkuchi since the month of August. They have expressed dismay at the alleged inaction and indifference of the authorities concerned to take steps to check the price hike of these items. The rise in prices of the raw materials has led to rise in the prices of finished products which are not finding many purchasers. So the weavers and master weavers are feeling the pinch of hike in prices of raw materials and are resorting to distress sale of their products. At this critical juncture, the preservers of the cultural heritage of Assam are fearful of losing ground in the absence of their handlooms. Finding no way out, the people of the silk village meet frequently to discuss among themselves to find a solution to the problem which threatens to jeopardise their livelihood.

In response to a call for a public meeting given by the Sualkuchi Tant Shilpa Santha, the only weavers’ association formed in 1972 and affilated to CITU, the people irrespective of political affiliations gathered at the Gandhi Maidan recently and voiced their fears about the security of their lives. Addressing the meeting chaired by Kanak Kalita, former CITU leader and the adviser of Sualkuchi Tant Silpi Santha, Tapan Sarmah, secretary, CITU, Kamrup district committee, criticised the Government’s alleged apathy in checking price hike of the raw materials of silk products and said that CITU has always stood for safeguarding the local industries. He said that Sualkuchi is the pride of Assam as it has preserved the handloom industry which has generated employment opportunities to the residents of the area as well as the people from different places for their livelihood.

He reiterated that the price hike of the silk yarns is due to the direct effect of the globalisation and liberalisation policies of the Government and the people of the village should join hands in the anti-economic policy movement being launched by the Centre of Trade Unions of India. In this connection, Sarma called upon the people to take part in the proposed rally of the CITU, Assam at Guwahati on January 4. The trade union leader also stressed the need of presenting a white paper on the problems of the handloom sector and the remedial measures to be taken for resolution of the problem to the parliamentary standing committee. For this purpose, Sarma called upon the people to prepare a white paper for safeguarding the silk industry.

Addressing the meeting, Tirtha Nath Kakoti, president of the Santha, narrated the woes of the weavers and the master weavers of the village. He said that price hike and the distress sale of the products have created dangers for handloom owners. On an average, 10 weavers are losing their jobs every day and consequently these loomless weavers are losing their means of livelihoods. If such a situation is allowed to continue, starvation among the weavers will emerge in the village.

In his address, Phanidhar Das, assistant editor, Asomiya Pratidin and a resident of Bansar, demanded that the issue of providing protection to the silk industry of Sualkuchi should be discussed in a special session of the Assam Assembly. Dulu Chaudhury, an Asom Gana Parishad worker, put emphasis on setting up an auction market for selling and purchasing silk yarns at Sualkuchi while Dr Atul Das stressed the need of a united move to compel the Government to take early action to save the industry from any further deterioration. Ganesh Kalita, former president, Paschim Sualkuchi Gaon Panchayat and Bhrigu Ram Das, secretary of the Santha, demanded of the Government to provide immediate relief to the weavers of the village.

After a threadbare discussion, the meeting resolved to demand yarns at cheap rates for the weavers and master weavers through government agencies. The meeting also decided to give memorandums to the Central and State governments to curb the price hike of the silk yarns and establish an auction market at Sualkuchi. The meeting resolved to launch an agitational programme if the Government fails to address the problems.