The Hindu : Andhra Pradesh News : Village with the pioneering spirit

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Saturday, Nov 10, 2007
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Andhra Pradesh

Andhra Pradesh

Village with the pioneering spirit

D. Chandra Bhaskar Rao

Punukula was the first village in the State to say no to chemical pesticides by opting for
non-pesticidal management

– Photo: G.N. Rao

Spinning success: Yarn from the decentralised ginning unit being put to use by a handloom worker in Punukula.

PUNUKULA (Khammam dt.): The sprightly peasant community of Punukula, a village perched behind the towering chimneys of the Kothagudem thermal power station, is known for its proactive initiatives in the farm sector.

It was the first village in the State to say no to chemical pesticides by opting for non pesticidal management. They tried out neem and garlic solutions successfully in place of pesticides. Now the farmers in the village are again on a new venture. They have set up a decentralised cotton yarn unit aimed at giving value addition to cotton produced in the village.

Lead role

The Ushodaya Grama Samakhya - an organisation from the village took the lead and opted for the making of Malkha - a process to spin cotton on a small scale retaining the good qualities and life in the delicate fibres of cotton.

The decentralised cotton yarn trust has set up the unit costing Rs. 50 lakhs with the support of the Ministry of Rural Development for supporting farmers and to provide employment to the poor in the village.

The unit consisting of ten pit looms, 20 motorised charkas, flyer frame, draw frame carding machine and an opening machine could consume some 300 quintals of cotton and provide employment to 46 persons. In the training phase, 24 families employed in the unit could produce 215 metres of finest fabric.

The cotton yarn making in the process is different from the pre-spinning technology.

It is specifically meant for handloom weaving and requires no baling and unbaling exercise.

It is free from the rigours of the machine process that leaves the desirable qualities of cotton completely damaged. Mr.Venumadhav of Secure - NGO that has been behind the success of the non-pesticidal managements in the village - said the low speed yarn making gives a definite advantage to slow speed weaving on handloom.

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