Lime units in Kadur lost with time

The families engaged in lime production used to get limestone from places like Chithradurga, Hiriyur, Kedigere, Marikanive and Gundlupete-Begur region. The limestone is burnt with various other substances in a typical mud mounts. The lime thus produced was marketed at very reasonable price in rural areas and on road sides.

At present since the cost of limestone has shot up and since transportation cost is more expensive than the raw material transported, many families have opted to bid adieu to this business.

“Our ancestors had been in this business. We joined the same business as we are not skilled to do anything else. Now, we are repenting because we are in a fix. We can neither quit nor stick on to this business, which hardly earns us a decent income,” says Gauramma.

Raju, another person engaged in lime production business says that demand for lime has gone down so this business is not economically viable for them. “Lime is used in coffee estate. That is the only consolation,” he says adding that earlier there were as many as 60 lime production units in Kadur-Birur area. Now there are only 8 remaining.

“Lime production units have become a rare sight. Many who were engaged in this business have gone to Bangalore in search of greener pasture. Since we cannot migrate from here for various reasons, we have opted to stick to this business,” he said. Rangaswamy says that their condition is so bad that even Government and banks are not willing to help them.

At present, only six families are engaged in lime production. Since it is impossible to carry on the work during monsoon, these families are worried about their livelihood. With uncertainty of future, even these families are planning to abandon this business.