Seeking permission for each potter to take 80 units of clay and demanding immediate clearance of their pending applications for removal of clay from dry irrigation tanks, a group of earthenware makers submitted a petition to Collector M. Karunakaran during the weekly grievance meet in Tirunelveli on Monday.
In their petition, president of Tirunelveli District Earthenware Labourers’ Association R. Muruganantham said the earthenware makers involved in pottery and brick making were allowed to take 80 units of clay from dry beds of irrigation tanks for the past 20 years on getting an order from the Department of Mines.
They were now being compelled to get permission also from the tahsildar concerned and Public Works Department. Consequently, more than 130 applications from the potters seeking permission for taking clay had been kept pending since 2014.
“Getting permission from three departments is difficult for us. We’ve already submitted petitions to the Collector, Secretary of the Department of Mines and Minerals and the Minister concerned in this regard. But no favourable decision has been taken so far. Though we’ve got bright chances of selling over 50,000 clay Vinayaka idols during this Vinayaka Chathurthi season, the denial of permission has made us starve,” said Mr. Muruganantham.
The petitioners said any further delay in granting permission for taking clay would affect the industry further as all dry waterbodies would start getting water with the onset of monsoon in October.
Accompanied by several women workers, the potters demonstrated their skill in making pots and Vinayaka idols within no time on the Collectorate premises before submitting the petition to Dr. Karunakaran. When a group of potters went to submit the petition, police told them that only six persons would be allowed inside the hall where the grievance meet was going on. Agitated over this, the potters, led by Mr. Muruganantham, sat on Collectorate-Melapalayam Road. However, the agitation was withdrawn immediately after the police pacified them.
