The Hindu : Andhra Pradesh News : Labourers in Adilabad cotton mills on a roll

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Wednesday, Nov 21, 2007
ePaper

Andhra Pradesh

Andhra Pradesh

Labourers in Adilabad cotton mills on a roll

S. Harpal Singh

Employers keep them in good humour by offering goodies and handsome wages

Upwardly mobile: A labourer listens to music through the earphones fixed to his cellphone while working in the cotton mills in Adilabad.

ADILABAD: The siren that signals the beginning of the day’s work is like music to the ears of the labourers employed in cotton ginning and pressing and oil mills in Adilabad. With a smile on their faces they attend to the work and the reason for it is that their incomes have almost doubled. There is a huge gap between demand and supply this year and mill owners are not only paying them handsomely but also pampering them with goodies in many instances. These labourers are mostly from Maharashtra and are being provided with living quarters and crèches to put their small children in while they are work. Their stay in Adilabad is generally for about six months and during their stay, they are also given uniforms , helmets and dust masks.

Substantial saving

“Each labourer family makes a substantial saving considering each member employed with us earns about Rs. 200 per day. Most of the workers employed here have purchased some mobile phones. They listen to songs while working and also stay in touch with family members back home”, explained Raju Chintawar of Sri Raja Rajeshwari Ginning mill.

Mr. Raju Chintawar had to make emergency arrangements for the stay of labourers at his mill when the lot asked for a decent place to stay. Over night he purchased corrugated tin sheets to erect a temporary shelter for the labourers in the first week of November. Mahendra Kumar Dokwal, who runs an oil mill, says the labourers have to be kept in good humour. “I fear that someone else may offer better pay and lure them away”, he pointed out.

In many of the factories, owners have no go but to pay that ‘extra’ amount to get the work done by the remaining labourers whenever there is either a case of ‘defection’ or sickness . “In case we fail to achieve the desired level of output we stand to lose precious money. So it is better we offer the labourers more money and get the work done ”, said Mr. Mahendra Kumar. “This is nothing but the year of the labourer”, added Mr. Raju Chintawar.

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

Andhra Pradesh