The Hindu : Front Page : Police women industrial cooperative society in Salem in bad shape

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Wednesday, Aug 29, 2007
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Police women industrial cooperative society in Salem in bad shape

S. Ramesh

Photo: E. Lakhsmi Narayanan

Now ailing: Members of the Salem police women industrial cooperative society weaving dhurry using handlooms. —

SALEM: The Salem police women industrial cooperative society formed to provide remunerative employment to family members of police personnel is now ailing.

The society, situated at the Armed Reserve grounds in Kumarasamipatti and Linemedu in the city, by using handlooms is making dhurry (jamukkalam) for the police department. Though it has 250 members on its rolls, a mere 50 remain active because the society has just 50 looms. There has been very little effort either to expand the society or modernise it.

Since there is little support for improving the society from the Government side, the families of police personnel are also not keen to show any interest in weaving, a senior official points out.

“We get Rs. 50 as wage for weaving a dhurry. A worker can weave a maximum of three in two days. When compared to other jobs, this work is taxing and involves a lot of physical strain,” women weavers say.

The society has not introduced any modern methods of weaving since its inception in the early 60s. The looms have not been upgraded or augmented. There has been no effort for product diversification, which would have provided them more employment opportunities and remunerative prices, the members point out. Officials, however, maintain that the society continues to get orders from the police department. But the members show little interest, they claim.

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