Fighting a losing battle for almost two years, two women of Kappaladoddi village have given up their attempts to get financial support extended by the government to the families of weavers who committed suicide. However, being breadwinners of their respective families, they are forced to revive their efforts to get the benefit in the wake of their pathetic financial conditions.
In the case of the family of Yarra Naga Prasad (42), a weaver who committed suicide in April 2015, and Yekkala Venkata Siva Prasad (45), another weaver who committed suicide in June the same year, official apathy has been haunting the wives of these deceased weavers.
In early 2016, a three-member District Level Committee led by Revenue Divisional Officer conducted an inquiry into the two deaths and decided to provide a special financial package of ₹1.5 lakh to each family, citing the deaths as “due to poverty arising on account of occupation (handloom weaving) related distress and financial hardship on a par with farmers”.
Certifying the deaths, the successive District Collectors of Krishna district have been requesting the Department of Handlooms and Textiles since December 2017 to release the funds, from which there was no response till date. In April this year, Collector B. Lakshmikantam wrote another letter to the Commissioner of Handlooms and Textiles with information on the debts to be cleared by the wives of the deceased weavers, but it fell on a deaf ears.
Speaking to The Hindu over phone, Additional Director (Handlooms & Textiles) K. Srikanth Prabhakar confirmed pendency of the financial assistance to the two weavers’ families of Kappaladoddi. “I will forward the grievance to higher officials for immediate action,” Mr. Prabhakar said, referring to a grievance submitted by the women to Joint Collector Vijaya Krishnan on Monday.
Woes
“I had undergone a surgery last month and now an being taken care of by my sister in Chirala, owing to lack of financial support. I had to quit the minimal work in the handloom weaving. The promised government’s financial support will certainly bring my family out of problems,” Yarra Venkateswaramma told The Hindu over phone. Ms. Venkateswaramma is the wife of Naga Prasad.
Yekkala Uma Kumari, wife of Venkata Siva Prasad, has inherited the occupation of weaving from her husband to lead the family after her husband committed suicide. Kappaladoddi in Guduru mandal witnessed more than 14 suicides of weavers since 2010.