Karnataka - Mangalore   

Beedi industry up in arms over statutory warning directive

M. Raghuram

Beedi companies have stopped production in protest

IN PROTEST: Beedi workers protesting in front of the Deputy Commissioner's office in Mangalore on Monday.

MANGALORE: The stoppage in production by beedi companies has created much apprehension among employees of the beedi industry, such as contractors, beedi rollers, loaders, drivers and casual labourers. The production of beedis has been stopped in protest against the Centre's directive on displaying a statutory warning on beedi packets starting from Sunday.

Bharat Beedis, Mangalore Ganesh Beedis, PVS Beedis and the north Karnataka-based Sadhoo Beedis have already closed down their operations in Mangalore from May 5 to May 11.

The industry is incensed at the "highly objectionable" nature of the statutory warning that it feels will brand beedis as a poisonous product.

The directive will force the companies to print pictures of a human corpse, skull and crossbones, and two text messages that have no relation to the product inside, the industry owners feel. There is also no space for the manufacturer to print his brand name. Supply of raw material to the rolling points, lifting of finished products and packaging has been stopped. Some contractors, however, lifted the finished products on Saturday night and quickly disbursed wages to the beedi rollers till production resumed on May 11.

The joint committee of manufacturers, which met last week, has expressed concern that no shopkeeper or stockist will keep the beedis if they are packed with labels with the skull and crossbones.

They fear that in the event of the shop keepers refusing to hold stocks of beedis the entire distribution chain will be dismantled within no time plunging the industry into a crisis.

For the first time labour groups and unions have also endorsed the stand taken by the owners of the beedi companies. The Bharatiya Mazdoor Sangh, the All India Trade Union Congress, the Indian National Trade Union Congress and the Hindustan Mazdoor Sangh have expressed their conditional solidarity with the managements and are already holding dharnas in front of the Deputy Commissioner's office in Mangalore.

President of the South Kanara Beedi Workers Federation J. Balakrishna Shetty felt that the stoppage of production was "illegal and unilateral" as the managements had not consulted the union before stopping production.

Meanwhile, beedi rollers, mainly women, have started feeling the pinch. Mr. Madhava, who has begun monitoring the situation, told The Hindu that the plight of the workers and beedi rollers could be improved only after production was restored.

The federation has now decided to hold a series of protests before beedi companies and depots throughout the district and demand the immediate restoration of production and urge the managements to go in for legal recourse, said Mr. Madhava.

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