Nuapada Khadi unit closed; tribals turn migrant labourers

Over 200 tribal and dalit artisans, mostly women, of Komna block in Nuapada district have seen a drastic fall in their income due to the closure of the Khadi production industry located in a nondescript village, Sandhibaheli. It was probably the only one Khadi industry in Odisha managed by the artisans themselves that was developed with determination and hard labour over two decades.

That the artisans never approached any one, not even the Government, for financial support to establish this industry reflects their self-determination and respect. “Whatever you see here -- the work-shed, processing unit, the deep bore-well and all these charkhas (spinning wheels) and Khatkhati (manual weaving machines) -- had been purchased by us. The land on which this establishment stands belongs to our organisation Kalahandi Vikash Parishad (KVP).

We were producing thousands of metres of yarn and Khadi clothes till it was closed a couple of years ago after the village was declared submergible in the Lower Indra Irrigation Project (LIIP),” say the women.

The LIIP authorities started acquiring land at Sandhibaheli in 2010-11. All the lands of the village were acquired except the area where the production unit stands. Rehabilitation and resettlement (R&R) assistance was paid to the weavers engaged in the weaving unit at the rate of Rs 5.23 lakh each because their lands were acquired; but the spinners supplying yarn to the weaving unit were shunned apart as ineligible because they didn't have land here.

The fact that the spinners lost their livelihood due to the closure of the unit after the withdrawal of weavers cut no ice with the project authorities. As a consequence, most of the spinners now have turned migrant labours running after the labour brokers to seek their livelihood in brick kilns.

“The Khadi production unit was established in 1994 at the behest of legendary figure late Biju Patnaik, who wanted to empower women through self-reliance. The KVP imparted training to 125 women initially, identified by the Government on spinning, weaving and processing of clothes.

The production activities ran smoothly for over two decades. But it came to a standstill when the LIIP authorities forced the weavers to withdraw after enlisting them as displaced,” says KVP secretary Rabi Dash.

The KVP has been demanding acquisition of the land of the organisation by the LIIP for last five years. Even, the officers at higher levels have also been approached. “The plots adjacent to our plot are at the same Full Reservoir Level (FRL) of 265 meters. When the project authorities have already acquired the adjacent lands, we don't understand why they have left the land of KVP,” question the spinners.

“The conspiracy of the LIIP authorities is loud and clear. If they acquire our land, they would be forced to pay R&R to the spinners according to Sec 3 of the Land Acquisition Act 2013. So, they are spreading misinformation that our plot is above the FRL” says Dash and further elaborates how the project has acquired land at Solbandh and Ulbha villages located far from the FRL of 265 meters. “Some lands acquired in these two villages are located between the levels of 268 and 270 meters. How can the reservoir level reach there, bypassing the lands located at a level of 265 meters,” asks Dash.

The KVP, meanwhile, has lodged a grievance before the Special Land Acquisition Officer (LAO), LIIP, Khariar, forwarding copies to the district Collector demanding acquisition of land and award of R&R assistance to the spinners who have been deprived of their livelihood due to the impact of the project.