The Hindu : Andhra Pradesh News : Eerie silence at weaver’s home

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Tuesday, Sep 30, 2008
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Andhra Pradesh

Andhra Pradesh

Eerie silence at weaver’s home

Staff Reporter

Beetla Mallaiah, 55, reportedly died of starvation in Kamalapur

-Photo: Uppu damodar

In grief: Bereaved family members of powerloom weaver Mallaiah who died of starvation in Kamalapur of Karimnagar district on Monday.

KAMALAPUR (KARIMNAGAR DT): A pall of gloom descended on the house of powerloom weaver Beetla Mallaiah, 55, who reportedly died of starvation in Kamalapur mandal headquarters on Sunday.

So pitiable was the condition of the family that the funeral was performed with the donations from police personnel and local leaders.

Mallaiah was suffering from tuberculosis since the past three months and succumbed to the disease as he was unable to purchase medicines and consume food due to unemployment. He incurred debts to the tune of Rs 50,000 to meet his medical expenses. His wife Bhagya, 50, is running the family by rolling beedies.

He performed the marriage of his daughter, Geetha, some 10 years back.

He hailed from Parkal region of Warangal district but migrated to Bhiwandi of Maharashtra to work on the powerlooms and later returned to Sircilla town. When there was no proper employment on the looms in Sircilla, he returned back and began staying at his relative’s abandoned house in BC Colony of Kamalapur.

on Monday, there were no relatives of the deceased weaver except for his wife Bhagya and daughter Geetha and her three children and husband in the single-room house.

When this correspondent talked to them, a shocked Bhagya was unable to utter a word and was wailing inconsolably by seeing the small photograph of her husband.

However, Geetha took courage and said that they do not have any relatives to help and are living in abject poverty.

“My father was worried about the clearance of debts of Rs. 50,000 as he was not securing employment on the powerlooms. Because of depression and ill-health, he died of starvation as he was unable to purchase medicines or go to hospital,” she wailed. She said that her mother was also not getting wages properly for rolling beedies because of slump in the beedi industry.

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