Bhiwandi's looms on road to recovery

Textile industry crawls back into action as work force that was forced to leave during demonetisation, returns home

Post demonetisation, several power looms in Bhiwandi shut shop as owners were unable to pay hard cash to labourers. Pic/Sameer Markande

Three months after demonetisation hit pause at the power looms of Bhiwandi, the textile industry is slowly whirring back in action.

Migrant workers who had left for their hometowns, have started returning to the city.

Last year, on December 4, mid-day had reported how loom owners's inability to pay hard cash to daily-wage labourers, had resulted in many leaving in droves for their native in UP, Gujarat and Rajasthan. The exodus caused hundreds of power looms to shut shop.

However, when mid-day recently visited Bhiwandi, the scenario seemed to have improved, if not changed. With little or no work in their own hometowns, workers have started trickling into the city. If this continues, the power loom industry is likely to pick up pace, owners said.

'We need the job'
Udal Prasad (28), who hails from Allahabad and was among the many labourers affected due to demonetisation, said he returned to Bhiwandi a month ago. "When I came here, I found that the loom that I used to work in, was shut. Instead of wasting time, I decided to work at a maintenance shop where looms are repaired."

mid-day report dated December 4

Mohammed Akram (45), who returned from his village, Gorakhpur, in UP, said he has started approaching other power loom owners. "People are doing whatever jobs they are getting," he said.

Situation changing
With labourers returning to find work, power loom owners are hopeful. Bhiwandi businessman Fahad Bubere, said, "If we can't accommodate them in the mills, we send them to the dying or packing department." Rashid Tahir Momin, who owns 500 looms, says that 50 per cent of his looms are already functioning. "The situation has improved since February," he said.

50
Percentage of looms that are back in business

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