The Hindu : Andhra Pradesh News : Communal riots affect cotton trade in Bhainsa

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Saturday, Oct 18, 2008
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Andhra Pradesh

Andhra Pradesh

Communal riots affect cotton trade in Bhainsa

S. Harpal Singh

BHAINSA (ADILABAD DT.): Bhainsa must have been very peaceful over a century ago for the pioneering Jahangirjee J. Chinoy of Secunderabad to establish the first cotton processing unit in the area.

Known then as the M/s Darabjee Bros. & Co. and M/s Bhainsa Ginning and Pressing Factory, this century-old modernised industry looks forlorn today, the trade having been hit by the communal disturbances of last week.

Bhainsa town situated about 45 km from Nirmal town on the Nirmal-Basar road with its surrounding cotton intensive areas has emerged as an important centre for cotton trade and cotton processing and allied industries during the latter part of the last century. Cotton from places like Aurangabad, Nanded, Parbhani, Washim and Pusad in Maharashtra and Warangal and Karimnagar in the State arrives here during the season.

Though the Darabjee factory was established in 1902 the cotton processing business prospered after the country’s independence, more rapidly during the last 10 years that were marked by peaceful atmosphere.

30,000 quintals

At present, Bhainsa town boasts of about 50 cotton ginning industries and a few pressing units, some of them even automated plants, that have a capacity to process about 25,000 to 30,000 quintals of cotton per day. The 35 oil mills here have 500 expellers that produce raw cottonseed oil, which comes as an allied business. The loss in turnover is calculated at Rs. 5 crore a day, which is quite substantial.

5,000 labourers

The cotton industry accommodates about 5,000 labourers, many of who remain as employees of the owners even when the seasonal business closes down in late summer and rainy season. The labour class is directly hit by the curfew as a result of communal riots. Cotton labourers are an assorted type belonging to all communities.

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