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Pleading Justice to Weavers
The production technology more or
less, has also remained ancient-pit type handloom where the weaver sits
with his legs in the pit. The textile industry here is synonymous with
silk sari industry as more than ninety five percent of the products are
silk saris. During the medieval period skilled Muslim weavers from the
West Asian countries came to India along with Moguls. These weavers
found Varanasi complementing to their art of intricate pattern of
weaving and settled there under the patronage of the then Muslim
rulers. Being a pilgrimage city it attracted
lots of tourists who provided market to the produce. The Varanasi silk
saris are characterised by their intricate pattern of weaving and heavy
zari art work.
The demand of finished sarees has gone down over the years. Since the 1990s' the labour wages have declined to about half of what they were earlier. The saree quality has gone up, compared to what they were those days. Also, in earlier days, the sarees used to be of 5 metres, but now they are 6 metres, while wages have not shown any commensurate increase. Also, the power looms are snatching the work from the laps of the weavers. Middlemen and Gaddidars are living like parasites on their earnings. Shopkeepers on the one hand give difficult designs to weavers and on the other claim that there are no buyers for the finished products. Such excuses using the vulnerability of weavers are often used to further tighten the noose on the necks of the weavers, as any cutbacks in number of orders has a crippling effect on their already precarious economic status. Thus weavers assume a greater onus of getting the work. Also they have additional tasks these days, such as cutting of jacard cardboard designs, which was earlier, not their responsibility. A weaver sits from 8:00 AM till 6:00 PM for 10 to 12 days and earns approximately Rs. 350/- on one saree, which gets produced in this much time. During this period, he takes help for all the Nari, Dharki and Anta filling needed for the job, from his family - primarily the womenfolk in the household, thus reducing them to the status of unpaid workers. Though important, these tasks are not given the status and value that they deserve, and are usually not included when the pricing of the saree / labour wage fixing is done. According to activist and thinker Ms. Muniza Khan of the Gandhian Institute of Studies, Varanasi, " The plight of women is such that even if they earn Rs.10/- they do not have the right to spend it. They work, trapped in dark hovels like chicken. Their contribution does not have the kind of recognition that it deserves. Their contribution is not accounted for while the product pricing is done. There has been no work done with women, and for any change to happen in the sector, their education, organisation and struggle for their rights will need utmost priority." The story of the raw material is no better. As regards the availability of raw silk, it appears that the industry is going through a phase of crisis. There is often an artificial scarcity of raw material created by traders. If a small weaver was to go to the market to buy silk, then it would be difficult for him/her to buy in larger quantities, by way of buying a gathia (bundle)- which normally has 5-6 kilograms of raw silk. The smaller weavers cannot buy in such huge quantities, because they do not have the purchasing power and because they do not have enough business in which the raw silk, if purchased could be used. This indicates that the interventions by the government co-operatives or community cooperatives in helping the weavers to gain easy access to the most important raw material i.e. silk, has been not of much positive consequence, as the small and marginal weavers are left out in the bargain. They also do not have enough money at their disposal to block it by way of purchase of raw silk at the so-called subsidised rates offered by the cooperative. It is apparent that, the whole structure of the co-operatives is to allow the bigger weavers to take the advantage of the subsidy offered. Bangalore silk is good but expensive. Earlier it was an important raw material, as it used to be available in abundance, and that too at cheap prices. Prior to 1990, the cost of this silk used to be Rs. 100/- per kg. Now it is available at over Rs 1500/- per kg. The entry of the multinationals is doing harm to the sector. Imported Chinese silk is cheaper. Chinese silk, brought in from Nepal, is available at Rs. 1100/- per kg, and hence it has become the choice of most artisans. While multinational players are being given a free hand to operate, potentially weaver friendly institutions such as cooperatives are being allowed to decay, at the cost of the marginalised weaver. Surat produces artificial silk thread, which is available at a much lower cost. Also, the Banarasi saree designs are being copied and duplicate Banarsi sarees are being produced, using artificial material. Entry of artificial silk has hurt the sector in terms of reduced business. This puts pressure to reduce the cost of the finished Banarasi saree in the market. As the middlemen and shopkeepers do not forsake their profits, the weakest link, i.e. the saree weaver has to bear the brunt, in terms of reduced wages. The low economic status of the weavers is due to a number of factors. When the product is substandard or the product loses its demand in the market, the weaver has to sell it at a price that may not even cover his labour cost. In the weaving industry, imitation is not valued. The product with a unique design, pattern and texture commands a high price. As soon as the design is copied, the product gets devalued. The weaver has to bear this loss. Change of product invariably involves substantial investment that affects the weavers adversely. Power operated looms also compound the problem, as an electricity connection is not easy to come by. Moreover, continued declared and undeclared power cuts add to the agony.
The exploitation in the sector has reached such serious proportions, the many skilled artisans have left weaving and begun to do other work, such as pulling rickshaws, making incense sticks, peeling and selling green chanas (seasonal work), and the women have begun to do domestic labour in the homes of middle class families in their neighbourhood. In addition, weavers are leaving Varanasi and migrating to Surat. This is due to the better status of weavers in that city, which has a better demand for their products and provides better wages for their work. In fact in Surat, many weavers are ironically joining the 'duplicate' Banarasi saree manufacturing process, as it is becoming increasingly economically viable to do that. Influx of thousands of 'unskilled' workers into weaving from the rural hinterland due to exigencies in their areas coupled with the abandoning of the sector by rare skilled crafts persons, if left unchecked can sound the death knell of the sector itself, thus depriving humankind of one of its finest traditions.
To strengthen the workers groups and improve the lot of unorganised sector workers, especially women, concentrated efforts are needed from multi-stakeholders, including civil society organisations, govt., workers' unions, media, corporate sector and others. Given in Table - 1, is the summary of the main problems affecting the Banarasi Saree Weaving Sector. At a glance, we can also understand the problems, the larger issue involved, the affected sections, the perpetrators and some recommendations to deal with the problems. Detailed recommendations follow the table. Table - 1 Recommendations to deal with main Problems of the Banarasi Saree Sector.
Below is the testimony of a Sadhna, 2years belonging to village Rudauli, district Mirzapur, who was suffering diagnosed to be in PEM IV Grade and suffering from Keratomalacia when admitted to the S.S.Hospital of Institute of Medical Science, BHU.The discharge record shows that at the time of discharge her PEM status was upgraded to PEMIII, but still she was suffering from Keratomalacia
Sadhna is struggling hard to take a breath; she is reduced to a skeleton. Exposing her ribs, she finds it difficult to even lift up her small eyelids. Tumbling while walking, she becomes a little full of energy when talked about food. A four years old child can be compared to a sixty year old person, with each bone has worn-out the flesh and there are wrinkles every where. Her height can be compared to a two and a half old child. Cradling in the arms of her grandmother, Sadhna lies meek and hopeless. She is admitted to Vatsalya Hospital, Varanasi. Her father, Vijay,a dalit weaver is unemployed since past eight months as a result of which his four years old daughter Sadhna is suffering from severe malnutrition and Anemia. Helplessly Vijay send his wife and four years old daughter to his in-laws house at Rassipatti,Varanasi. But the condition of his in-laws is no better as a result of which Sadhna had become severely malnourished and anemic .She lies at the brink of survival. To save the life of his niece took her to Dr.Rajendra Pathak for her treatment that referred her to Sir Sundarlal Hospital. He told that since months the child has not been receiving proper food as a result of which she has become anemic and needs blood. She was admitted in the hospital on 23/9/04,where she was diagnosed to be suffering from PEM IV th grade and Keratomalacia in the right eye, but her condition has not improved.
The above case is not the alone
there are many in which children who are the future of our country are
the victims of starvation and hunger. Who can be held responsible for
the situation? Is it the government who makes powerful policies on
paper but fail in its implementation, or is it the citizens who are not
questioning the government for their basic rights. Till date Sadhna
Family is aloof from getting any Government benefits or schemes. He
does not possess an antyodya card. The testimony is about the dalit
family, which is a resident of Rassipatti a village in District
Varanasi, and police station Badgoan.
The irony is that Varanasi has been declared as a drought stricken area, this news was even published in the local Hindi Newspaper dated 28th August 2004, but before the intervention of Jan Mitra Nyas no Gram Pradhan, Secretary or Ay officials from the block or district has ever come to the area. It also took every one by surprise that the Gram pradhan of the village Rassipatti, Lalman Pal, is closely associated with the Manav Vikas and Uttaan Samiti, whose office is situated in the village next to rassipatti was not updated of Uma Shankar family situation. According to the villagers and the Gram Pradhan, the ANM has not visited the village since past two months.The village presents an excellent example of the extent of the violation of the Supreme Court Order. The Nutrition and the Health cards issued under the ICDS- 'Three Programmee provide the evidence of the violation of the Supreme Court order. In every card the birth weight of the child is entered as 5 Kilograms and on the top page it has been written that the weight is too less. Surprisingly in some of the cards it has been shown that within one and one and a undernourished to normal state by showing approximately a variation of 2 Kgs. It is interesting to note that the weighting machine required to weight the pregnant is out of order since a long time. There is no 'Solter Scale' to weight the children then on what basis is the child weight even the card doed not shows that there is any type of nutritious food given to the Pregnant and lactating mother along with the child. As stated in the Supreme court order, under the ICDS Programmed each child up to 6 years of age should receive daily approximately 300 calories and 8-10 grams of protein. In the same way adolescent girls should receive 500 calories and 20-25 grams of protein daily even Pregnant and Lactating mothers are also covered in this scheme and all of them are recommended to receive nutritious food contains the minimum standards. According to the Gram Pradhan and the villagers the food is kept at the house of the Aanganwadi workers, and she distributes it according to her will.
When JMN/PVCHR, came to know about
the situation prevailing in Rassipatti village and the other villages
adjacent to it. They wrote a letter to the District Magistrate making
him aware of the plight of Uma Shankar and his children. The letter
even unveiled the pathetic situation of ICDS programme in the village,
on Functioning PDS, etc. The copy of which was send to the Human Rights
Commission, Commissioners of the Supreme Court in the case (PUCL Vs.
UOI and PRS WRIT PETTITION (Civil) No. 196 of 2001) Dr. N.C. Saxena and
Mr. S.R. Sankaran, Chief Minster U.P. Lucknow, Chief Secretary, CDO,
Varanasi, Secretary to Registrar, Varanasi. It demanded:
The brought results commissioners of
the Supreme Court in the case (PUCL Vs. UOI and PRS WRIT PETITION
(Civil) No. 196 of 2001) Dr. N.C. Saxena and Mr. S.R. Sankaran issued
an order: Further to this, responding to the
news item published in Hindustan Times about the plight of Two
children, General Secretary of Uttar Pradesh Council for Child Welfare
Begum Hamida Habibullah, announced that her organization would bear all
costs for cornea transplantation for Chandan.
Looms Of Doom
Raziya and her husband were once the pride of their village. The owner of five looms, he made enough to keep all nine members of his family content. Neighbours recollect how pretty she looked every Id in her best clothes and jewellery. Now she stands in shreds. Nurool is suffering from acute anaemia according to doctors. "But we have no money for the treatment," sighs Raziya. They have been out of business for the last 27 months as there are very few takers for the Varanasi silks they wove for a living. Three doors away, Mohammed Umair, another weaver, tried being a little more enterprising but to little avail. With no work after his loom owner shut shop and migrated, he began selling his blood. In less than six months, he had sold his blood 13 times. Now suffering from tuberculosis he says, "Sarkar ne to mera khoon bhi kharab kar diya (The government has even contaminated my blood)." Several of Umair's friends from Bajedian village also began selling their blood for cash only to fall afoul of the authorities. "Some doctor leaked the news, we were penalised and the police warned us stating it was illegal," says Rafique, another accomplice. Others have become even more desperate. In Kotwan village, Ghulam Rasool and Raziya Biwi sold Subhan Ali, their two-month-old son, for Rs 2,000. "At least I knew the buyer-a distant relative who has the means to look after Subhan. The thought that he could feed him was of some consolation," she admits. Today with their son back at home, the couple earns from a vegetable shop in the village. "No matter what happens, I'm not going back to becoming a weaver," says Ghulam who feels obliged to the government for getting his son back and paying him a grant of Rs 10,000. "This is a stray case where political leaders intervened as the villagers had created a ruckus about the family's dire straits. But no leader looked into the real problem because of which people are now starving to death in almost all villages," says Atique Ansari, general secretary, Weaver's Association, Varanasi. The weavers' troubles began way back in 1995-1998 when the Deve Gowda government imposed a ban on Chinese silk yarns. The idea was that Varanasi saris would only be woven from silk yarns from Bangalore. Out of habit or because of its superior quality, some weavers started smuggling Chinese yarn into the holy town. Realising that their need for Chinese yarn would only grow, the weavers demanded an ogl (open general license). A chronic power shortage was also
crippling their activity but one of the most telling blows was
delivered five years ago when the government allowed the free import of
Chinese plain crepe fabrics. "This decision brought the entire business
to a standstill. Now most customers prefer crepe silk to the
traditional Varanasi silk because of its smooth appearance and cheaper
price," explains Rajan Bahal, general secretary of Varanasi Vastra
Udyog. In fact, the art of weaving these
saris now faces extinction. In Mughal times both Hindu concepts and
Muslim ideas were fused to create unique aesthetic designs. The weavers
weave the basic texture of the sari on handlooms and powerlooms-both
cottage industries where the entire family is usually involved.
Normally one person weaves while two others work at revolving rings to
roll bundles of the yarn. They create a Varanasi speciality yarn motifs. But today an estimated five lakh weavers and their families in Varanasi district are looking for an alternative. Over half have been forced to take up menial jobs like pulling rickshaws. Several have opened tea stalls and paan shops. Others like Abdul Wahi of Rewri Talab and Abdul Ghani of Maltibagh have closed their flourishing businesses and migrated to Bangalore and Hyderabad where they work in looms and help in dyeing and embroidery work. "At least they are better off, but you need money to migrate and contacts too. Here we are all left to starve and die," says Uma Shankar of Madhiapur village whose two children, nine-year-old Chandan and seven-year-old Malka, are undergoing treatment for malnourishment. An NGO led by Lenin Raghuvanshi is helping the children. "But how many such cases can we attend to?" asks Lenin. According to his conservative estimates, 19 weavers have died from starvation in the past 24 months. "When reports of farmers' deaths reach Parliament, immediate action is taken. But when weavers are dying in Varanasi, no voice is heard in Parliament," says Raghuvanshi. The plight of silk sari weavers in Varanasi unfortunately seems to come to the fore only before elections. Once electioneering ends, the promises too fade and the poor weavers are left to fend for themselves. And the cityfolk are left wondering why leaders are so insensitive to one of the oldest arts of the country.
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