Dwindling Handloom, Sinking Weavers in Western Uttar Pradesh: A Case Study of Pilkhuwa, Amroha and Muradnagar

Abstract

There has been an upsurge of interest on the history and conditions of handloom weavers in India in recent years. Various works have appeared. There has, however, been a dearth of microscopic studies relating to the health rights and poverty among the handloom weaving community of India in general and of Western UP in particular. Handloom weaver as a person devoid of basic health rights and subjected to the most inhuman form of poverty – has never been the central theme of the practical research works. According to the Approach Paper for the 12th Plan, the handloom sector is a major employment generating sector. As per the Handloom Census of 2009-10, there are 23.77 lakh handlooms in the country, providing employment to 43.32 lakh handloom weavers and ancillary workers.

The dispersed and decentralized handloom sector embodies the traditional wisdom, cultural wealth and secular ethos of our country. It is not just a source of livelihood for lakhs of weavers and artisans, but also environment friendly, energy and capital saving and labour-intensive form of art that has secured India’s presence in millions of homes across the globe.

Equally importantly, this sector constitutes the only industry in the country that provides low cost, green livelihood opportunities to millions of families, supplementing incomes in seasons of agrarian distress, checking migration and preserving traditional economic relationships. With women contributing the majority of pre- and post-loom labour and accounting for over 50% of artisans in the country, and a significant mass of weavers/artisans consisting of scheduled castes, schedules tribes and religious minorities, this sector also represents the economic lifeline of the most vulnerable sections of our society.

Over the decades, the situation of most weaver’s has deteriorated into a pitiful state, as weavers face increased poverty, hunger, health issue and inability to provide for their families. There is a high level of tuberculosis and malnutrition leading to depression and in some cases, suicide. Weavers also lack accession to public health centres due to severe operational and logistic constraints. The present project intends to highlight the forms of poverty and deprivations prevalent among the handloom weavers of Western Uttar Pradesh.