FOR A CAUSE: The powerloom weavers participating in relay hunger strike demanding increase of their wages in front of RDO office in Sircilla town on Thursday.

KARIMNAGAR: Powerloom weavers of Sircilla town, who have launched an indefinite strike from Monday demanding increase in their wages, have intensified their agitation programmes by participating in a rasta roko on Thursday.

The weavers have obstructed traffic on the busy Sircilla-Kamareddy and Sircilla-Karimnagar and Siddipet road at the Ambedkar statue for about one hour. They also launched relay hunger strike in front of the Sircilla RDP office. Besides, they staged a dharna in front of the houses of powerloom owners demanding increase in their wages.

All the trade unions of powerloom weavers have called for bandh in Sircilla on Saturday in protest against the "adamant attitude" of powerloom owners for not increasing the wages of the weavers.

Standstill

Incidentally, the local political parties have also extended support to the trade unions for the bandh call. The trade unions Joint Action Committee leaders have threatened to launch fast-unto-death programme if the owners do not increase the wages of weavers.

Meanwhile, the production of the fabric on the 25,000 odd powerlooms had come to a standstill since last four days. About 80 lakh metres of cloth production was lost during the strike period. In support of powerloom weavers, even the allied industries of powerloom such as dyeing, warping and sizing workers have also participated in the strike.

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