Bengal handloom weavers hit hard by lockdowns

Handloom weavers in West Midnapore district have been hit hard by the COVID-19 lockdowns. This has forced some of them to quit their traditional profession and become daily wage earners to make ends meet.

West Midnapore (WB):The 'tant' or the handwoven dress material is a part of traditional clothing in West Bengal for centuries. Ramjibanpur in the state's West Midnapore's district is home to 150 families which make them and they are among the hardest hit by the lockdowns forced by the Covid-19 outbreak in India.

The wholesalers don't seem to be interested in their products and financiers are not investing money as demand for the 'tant' has dwindled on the retail market.

For these families in Ramjibanpur, weaving has been their ancestral profession and also their only source of income. Demand used to be high for their handloom sarees before Covid-19 caused widespread disruptions.

The weavers had been demanding government recognition and seeking assistance for some time. In the absence of any aid, they had still managed to run their families but the pandemic has ruined their hopes. Some of them have already quit as weavers and become daily wage earners.

The second wave of Covid-19 has made conditions even worse after suppliers stopped providing raw materials leaving the weavers with no option but to look for other jobs.

The weavers said government recognition would have entitled them to the monthly allowance as applicable for other trades.

Pandemic hits bronze workers

Manufacturers of bronze utensils in the area are also changing their profession due to poverty. Last Friday, the Minister of State for industries, Srikanto Mahato met some families engaged in these trades and assured them all possible efforts to revive their businesses.

According to the administrator of Ramjibanpur Municipality, Nirmal Chowdhury, modernization is the only way out to revive these two industries. "For the time being, there is no immediate alternative but I have spoken to the minister and we have agreed to prepare a blueprint on reviving the two industries," he said.