Palasa: With the deadline for a changeover from the present drum roasting system to the environment-friendly boiling system, set by the Pollution Control Board, expiring on Tuesday, uncertainty, leading to a possible crisis, seems to be looming large over the renowned 80-year-old cashewnut industry in the twin towns of Palasa-Kasibugga in Srikakulam district.

There are more than 100 cashewnut units in and around the twin-towns. Roasting is an important process for obtaining the final product. However, this process results in emission of smoke heavily and is considered a health hazard. Environmental activists in the town organised dharnas and made complaints to the Pollution Control Board and a Public Interest Litigation petition has been pending in the court.

The Pollution Control Board, meanwhile, served notices on 18 important manufacturing units to change to the boiling process. Notice-serving and extending deadline has been going on for about two years and the manufacturers have been avoiding change on the plea that labourers are opposing the boiling method. The issue is now decade-old and manufactures were given a long rope to change by October 31. Failure to adhere to this deadline would result in closure of the units, the Board warned.

No sign of change

Since there is no sign of change, these 18 units will close operations from Wednesday. With the same fate likely to befall other units, sooner than later, there is likely to be a crisis because it will mean unemployment to about 7,000 labourers.

Cashewnut processing has some unique features. Because of the emission of smoke, working hours are restricted and roasting takes place from 4 am to 7 am. More than 70 per cent of labour are women. They get Rs.7 for getting10 kg of final product from raw cashewnut. He or she will get anything from Rs.70 to Rs.100 a day.

Manufacturers assert that they are not reluctant but labourers are opposing the move. Union leaders say the boiling method requires training without which labourers will not able to work efficiently. If labourers are given proper training, they have no objection to the change, they say. Manufacturers express their inability to train labourers. One suggestion from the labourers was that the Government, through agencies like District Rural Development Agency, give training to the labourers and solve the problem.

Printer friendly page  
Send this article to Friends by E-Mail