Thousands of traders in Assam are in jitters ever since the Himanta Biswa Sarma-led Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) government announced a ban on the selling of goods made on power looms, such as Gamosa and Mekhela Sador. Though the move is termed as an attempt to encourage handloom in the state, it has come as a big worry for power loom traders who fear for the goods they have already stocked and may not be able to sell in view of the ban.
Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma had announced that the sale of power loom-produced Gamusa and Mekhela Sador, among other products, will be banned from March 1, 2023. Further, he directed the Deputy Commissioners and the SPs of all the districts to initiate immediate steps to seize power loom products from March 1.
“Just like the drive against child marriage, another drive against the sale of power loom produced Gamusas, and Mekhela Sador will be carried out across Assam. I am asking all the DCs and SPs to conduct a drive against the sale of such power loom items similar to our child marriage drive…I have asked the DCs to speak with the textile merchant association to stop bringing in such items before getting seized,” the CM had said.
Traders in Assam are nervous as they fear they will have to incur huge losses as the ban comes on such short notice and during the peak season. They said “this ban is causing undue hardship to the sellers and traders of these beautiful fabrics.”
There are around 1,000 traders and about 20,000 shop owners across Assam selling mekhela sador — a traditional Assamese sarong. Almost 75-80 per cent of the shops sell machine-made mekhela sador and procure them mostly from Surat in Gujarat and Varanasi in Uttar Pradesh.
‘Lift ban’: Power loom traders appeal to CM
A power loom trader in Guwahati told Times Now, “Power loom Mekhela is a more affordable option for many people, and it is also more readily available than handloom Mekhela . The ban on the sale of powerloom Mekhela is, therefore, affecting not only the traders and sellers of these fabrics but also the consumers who rely on cheaper and affordable version.”
Power loom traders claimed that the ban would deprive consumers of a cheaper option to the handloom mekhela sador. Notably, an original, handmade Mekhela Sador costs over Rs 8,000 but one made in Surat on a power loom from polyester ranges between Rs 1,000 to Rs 2,000.
While speaking to Times Now, another trader urged the Chief Minister to lift the ban and said, “I urge the CM to consider lifting the ban on the sale of power loom Mekhela . This will not only help to support the livelihoods of the traders and sellers of these fabrics but also ensure that consumers have access to a wider range of choices when it comes to traditional textiles.”
The owners of the handloom shops, however, feel that the ban on power loom products will be beneficial for them. However, the industry may also suffer losses as the power loom-produced mekhela sadors reportedly have a market of around Rs 2,500 crores in Assam. In contrast, hand-made mekhela sador sale is around Rs 500 crores annually.
Some power loom traders welcomed the decision but urged the government to give them some time to phase out their stock of power loom mekhala sador . A trader said it would be great if we phase out the power loom –produced mekhela sador within a time frame of six months to one year. The textile merchant association has also requested Assam CM to give them a little more time.
Traders in Assam may have invested around up to Rs 2,000 crores collectively for procurement of mekhela sador for the upcoming Rongali Bihu festival,local mediareported.
Surat traders panic
Not only Assam, but Surat is also feeling the heat as the state has been a major supplier of power loom products to Assam for quite some time, making for over 60 per cent of the North Eastern state’s consumption. Power loom weavers in Surat are in panic following the ban on the sale of power loom-manufactured Mekhela Sador and Gamusa.
Factories in Surat are piled with power loom products made as per the orders but the stocks are stuck in the factories and also the machinery which were progarmmed to bring the final output are being halted.
The general secretary of the Federation of Surat Textile Traders Association (FOSTA), Champalal Bothra said the sudden ban on one hand, will impact around 700 to 800 traders and 300 to 400 weavers along with the labourers associated with the looms producing Mekhala Sador in Surat that has a turnover of around `3,000 crore annually.
Meanwhile, Federation Of Gujarat Weaver’s Welfare Association (FOGWWA) handed over a memorandum to the union minister of state for textile Darshana Jardosh and Navsari MP C R Paatil explaining their demands.
What Assam govt said
In a notification, Assam government said, “You are all aware that the Registrar of Geographical Indication, Chennai has granted the GI application to the Gamosa of Assam in favour of Directorate of Handloom & Textiles of Assam on 13th December/2022. Now, production of Gamosa of Assam is prohibited from production outside of the state of Assam.
Further, according to the Handloom (Reservation of Articles for Production) Act, 1985, the manufacturing of Gamosa, Mekhela – Chadar, Dokhana, etc. are reserved for exclusive production by handloom. It is observed that some unscrupulous traders are importing and selling cheap Power Loom Gamosa and other traditional items reserved under this Act.
For better enforcement of the provision of the GI and Handloom (Reservation of Articles for Production) Act,1985, you are requested to make the special drive from 1st February/2023 onward to prevent, the production, import, and sale of Power Loom made Gamosa, Mekhela – Chadar, Dokhana, etc. by the enforcement squad constituted for this purpose with the help District/Sub- Divisional administration.”
