Weavers’ suicides rock Sircilla

The power loom weavers of Sircilla textile town in Karimnagar district, who are yet to recover from the burden of FSA (Fuel Surcharge Adjustments), are now reeling under the crisis of unemployment and closure of power looms with traders stopping the supply of raw material following the escalation of polyster yarn cost.

High costs

Due to the high cost of polyster yarn and increase in the production cost following heavy power bills, traders have stopped supplying the required yarn for producing polyster fabric since the last fortnight. Traders said that they were incurring losses due to huge production costs.

There are around 34,000 power looms in Sircilla textile town. Among them, 15,000 power looms produce only polyster fabric providing employment to 8,000 odd weavers directly and indirectly. However, following the non-supply of polyster yarn, several hundreds of power looms have stopped producing cloth and others are also on their way to closure.

Fresh incidents

Fresh incidents of two young power loom weavers committing suicide by hanging themselves were reported in the textile town on Wednesday and Thursday. Unemployment has become a cause of concern for the weaving community here. The president of the power loom workers union, Samalla Mallesham, told

The Hindu on Thursday said that the crisis had re-emerged in the Sircilla textile industry following the negligence of the State and Central governments in resolving the crisis in the power loom sector.

Stir threat

The traders have stopped supplying the required yarn to produce fabric on power looms stating that the cost of yarn had increased from Rs. 90 per kilogram to Rs. 130 per kilogram, he said and added that on the other hand, the weavers were denied employment and were therefore resorting to suicide. “We have urged the traders to supply yarn and ensure that the weavers are given at least eight hours of work but in vain,” he said and threatened to launch an agitation if the government did not intervene.