To protect the handloom industry the Assam government has banned the sales of power loom-made ‘Gamusa’ and ‘Mekhela Sador’ which are traditional Assamese clothes. It has badly hit the handloom industry in Surat.
The ban was imposed on the direction of Assam CM Himanta Biswa Sarma who tasked the handloom and textiles department to carry out a drive against ‘Gamusas’ and ‘Mekhela Sadors manufactured using power looms. Experts say this might give relief to handloom owners but will hurt textile weavers using power looms. They were supplying Gamusa and ‘Mekhela Sador worth Rs100 crore per month before the ban was imposed.
The ban would also badly impact consumers as handloom-made clothes are 6 to 8 times more expensive than similar clothes made from power looms. For instance, Mekhela Sadors –that is a traditional form of saree made using cotton and silk is sold by power looms from Rs1000-2000 per piece while that made by handlooms costs over Rs8000.
Members of the Federation Of Gujarat Weaver’s Welfare Association (FOGWWA) and textile traders held a meeting to discuss the issues related to this ban and expressed grave concern over the ban. They said the handloom and power loom products have since long been sold in the market. The low-end consumers go for power loom polyester-made clothes and high-end consumers buy handloom products.
Textile weavers and traders in Surat have decided to make representations to elected leaders and demand a lift of the ban in Assam on the sale of power loom manufacturers’ mekhela chadors from Surat.
Power loom weavers said the instant loss because of this directive is around Rs 500 Crore. It includes ready stock of Rs150 crore, Rs 150 crore worth of yarn, and material worth Rs 200 crore under production. The power loom association has handed over a memorandum to the union minister of state for textile Darshana Jardosh and Navsari MP C R Paatil in this regard.
Ban on the power loom clothes in Assam agitates weavers
