The former director of AP State Handloom Weavers’ Co-operative Society Ltd (APCO) and ex-MLA V. Sriramulu condemned the apathy of the district administration towards establishment of the proposed Apparel Park and Textile Park in Warangal.
Both Apparel and Textile parks have been proposed to start on an allotted 30-acre site in old Azam Zahi Mills in 2003 and 100 acre allotted site at Industrial Development Authority (IDA), Rampur in 2008-9 respectively.
However, for unknown reasons, both the projects could not start even though the district is home to a large number of Padmashali community members, who still eke out a living using their traditional power looms run with small capacity motors.
Most of these power looms are located in Kottawada, Desaipet and Kareemabad in the city (there are about 600 in the city) besides other pockets in Shyampet (100), Wardhanapet (about 40) and Kodakandla mandal (400).
Significantly, Mr Sriramulu, who is also the president of National Weavers’ Association, demanded immediate work on the pending projects following the suicide of Adapa Sekharaiah, 50, a weaver residing in Desaipet’s Weaver Colony.
Burdened with a debt of `2 lakh, Sekharaiah committed suicide by hanging with a rope used in his power loom on Wednesday night at his residence in Desaipet.
His death did not result in an outcry from the BC leaders in Warangal though it is linked to the failure of the district administration in seeing that the two pending projects start functioning.
“It is ironic that the Warangal is represented in the Rajya Sabha by two Padmashali MPs and two ministers from BC community in the state Cabinet but without much help for the community,” said Mr Sriramulu, who demanded a compensation of `5 lakh to the family of Sekharaiah.
It is significant to note that a prominent Congress leader hailing from BC community had acted against Padmashali community in the past by indirectly supporting encroachers at the 30-acre Apparel park site in Azam Zahi mills area even though it is technically under the possession of state department of handlooms and textiles.
Locals said that already 5 acre land in this area is presently under encroachment due to interference by the said leader.