Workers, weavers demand apology from minister
Workers and weavers attached to PONTEX (an apex cooperative handloom weavers project) on Tuesday threatened to lay seige to welfare minister M Kandasamy's office in 10 days or so if he did not apologise for his reported remarks at a function of th...
By PTI |
PUDUCHERRY: Workers and weavers attached to PONTEX (an apex cooperative handloom weavers project) on Tuesday threatened to lay seige to welfare minister M Kandasamy's office in 10 days or so if he did not apologise for his reported remarks at a function of the Social Welfare Department on Monday.
The minister had reportedly stated that PONTEX garments were not upto the mark and that the government would procure polyster saris and shirt bits from the open market for distribution to the poor during Diwali, stopping procurement from this cooperative organisation.
Puducherry State Weavers Cooperative (PONTEX) Employees Union President and member of the executive committee of Tamil Nadu unit of the CPI (M) T Murugan said PONTEX had been supplying handloom garments for beneficiaries of government sponsored schemes during festivals every year since 1996.
He termed as an insult to the organisation, Kandasamy's remarks that there were representations that the quality of garments was not upto the mark and that the government would purchase goods from the open market
Pointing out that the organisation had branches within and outside Puducherry, he said PONTEX had got ready Rs 10 crore worth of garments as per government’s standing order for this year Diwali festival. If the goods were purchased from the open market, the handloom goods would gather dust.
Around 5400 handloom weavers eking out a livelihood through PONTEX and another export oriented project (PONFAB) sponsored by the government would be deprived of jobs and be gripped by poverty. PONTEX would be deprived of revenue for its continued existence, he said.
The minister had reportedly stated that PONTEX garments were not upto the mark and that the government would procure polyster saris and shirt bits from the open market for distribution to the poor during Diwali, stopping procurement from this cooperative organisation.
Puducherry State Weavers Cooperative (PONTEX) Employees Union President and member of the executive committee of Tamil Nadu unit of the CPI (M) T Murugan said PONTEX had been supplying handloom garments for beneficiaries of government sponsored schemes during festivals every year since 1996.
He termed as an insult to the organisation, Kandasamy's remarks that there were representations that the quality of garments was not upto the mark and that the government would purchase goods from the open market
Pointing out that the organisation had branches within and outside Puducherry, he said PONTEX had got ready Rs 10 crore worth of garments as per government’s standing order for this year Diwali festival. If the goods were purchased from the open market, the handloom goods would gather dust.
Around 5400 handloom weavers eking out a livelihood through PONTEX and another export oriented project (PONFAB) sponsored by the government would be deprived of jobs and be gripped by poverty. PONTEX would be deprived of revenue for its continued existence, he said.
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