Hit hard by the prolonged power cuts for the past several months, workforce of the famous powerloom industry of Sankarankovil may express their anger through the ballot.
The powerloom industry, which came into existence in a big way at Sankarankovil in 1960, forms the fulcrum of its economy and has over 6,000 looms that employ around 12,000 persons. It also provides indirect employment to another 8,000 persons, taking the total to over 20,000 persons. In other words, the powerloom industry of Sankarankovil has nearly 25,000 votes of the 2,05,870 electorate. Or, more than 10 per cent of the total electorate is from the powerloom industry. Hence, no political party can ignore their support.
When S. Thangavelu, who was elected to the Assembly from Sankarankovil, was the Minister for Handlooms (1989 to 1991), he issued an order that those who want to set up a powerloom unit can establish it in their house itself even without taking any formal permission from the local body. Since Sankarankovil has been blessed with good number of skilled workers, it promoted the industry further and encouraged a good number of people to enter it. The powerloom industry was given another concession of free power up to 250 units a month (500 units bimonthly), but only to units having motors with 5-HP capacity.
“However, we have not been able to use this privilege for the past several months owing to the scheduled and unscheduled load-shedding with 8-hour-long powercuts. The workers, who weaved five sarees a day, now do just two sarees. Consequently, their income has come down drastically putting their families into severe hardship. Moreover, they cannot repay their loans properly,” says V. Shanmugavel, a weaver.
The piquant situation has forced most loom owners to either sell their units or to lease them. But nobody is prepared to take them because of the power cut, which is likely to go up during summer. But political parties are making all-out efforts to woo the workers. While the AIADMK is toiling hard to win over them, the DMK, MDMK and the DMDK have are working overtime to get their votes.
The units supply sarees, dhotis, lungies and towels even to foreign countries.
Powerloom workers most affected
Industry employs around 20,000 persons
