The Hindu : A textile giant sinking into oblivion

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Wednesday, Jul 16, 2003

Southern States

Southern States - Andhra Pradesh

A textile giant sinking into oblivion

By Gollapudi Srinivasa Rao

WARANGAL JULY 15. The siren of the Azam Zahi Mills that used to come as a wake-up call to thousands of labour and families in the locality has gone mute. No longer the siren rings as also the festive mood that was felt when the labour returned home with pockets full once in a month.

The machinery and scrap and vast extent of land that served as memory of great legacy and past glory is sinking drifting into oblivion. With the machinery already sold away and the land that is up for sale, soon the landmark of this historic town will be stamped out from the minds of the sons of the soil.

Over 40 persons have bid for the land so far when the tenders were invited by the National Textile Corporation. The rich and the influential already camped at its office at Bangalore lobbying in their own ways.

The Azam Zahi Mills were set up in 1933 during the then Nizam's regime and its product was known for its quality worldwide. The organisation used to feed about 10,000 families and an equal number indirectly depended on it in the backward Telangana region. There were days when hundreds of people used to queue up at its showrooms to buy the new designs as and when the company introduced.

However, due to the fast-changing tastes of customers and indifference of successive governments, the company slowly died a natural death. The employees, senior citizens and individuals had been demanding that the Government revive the mills with a view to providing employment in the region. But, in vain.

Those who took pride in working for the age-old mills reminiscence their good old days and desperately wait in vain for the salaries and other amounts due to them. Scores of employees became destitute while some families were thrown on the roads.

"The Karnataka and Maharashtra Governments have agreed for sale of mills, but on the condition that the amount procured on the mills be spent in their states to generate employment.

It is very sad that the Andhra Pradesh Government has not asked for it,'' pointed out TRS general secretary, B Vinod Kumar.

Some of the leading advocates, trade union leaders and Azam Zahi Mills Parirakshana Porata Samithi were contemplating stalling the sale by moving the courts.

Printer friendly page
Send this article to Friends by E-Mail

Southern States

Stories in this Section

Viral fever toll mounts to 112 in A.P.

Girl, woman naxal killed in encounter

Diarrhoea death puts officials on toes

`Breathing tomb' attracts devotees

`Bank lending to farm sector understated'

A textile giant sinking into oblivion

Health Dept. officials grilled at ZP meet

Sanitation drive to stave off fevers

Cong, Left plan stir

Five trains cancelled

Students gherao V-C

Cong. leader's memo to Dattatreya

Sri Lankan Minister interacts with women's groups