KSIC employees continue stir: Mysore silk saree lovers greeted with empty racks at showrooms

Mysuru: Empty racks greeted Mysore silk saree lovers at all 13 KSIC showrooms of Karnataka on Friday, even as most of the stock of sarees is exhausted. All 1,052 employees of all three units KSIC have stopped production from Wednesday, and they continued the protest near KSIC filature in T Narsipur for the third day, to save their 5 acre land acquired by Department of youth empowerment and sports for sports stadium.

KSIC MD Zehera Naseem said, "KSIC has stopped purchasing 1,000 kg cocoons each per day at Shidlagatta and Ramanagar as it cannot be stocked since employees have stopped production. Mysuru district in-charge minister H C Mahadevappa has asked Mysuru DC G Lakshmikanth Reddy to visit the unit at T Narsipur and hold a meeting with all concerned officials and give a technical report."

When contacted Mysuru DC G Lakshmikanth Reddy said that he will meet officials of KSIC and department of youth empowerment and sports, and check what best can be done.

According to KSIC officials, about 150 permanent employees temporarily finished some pending works to release a few sarees, and joined 900 outsourced protesting employees of all three units. They are protesting with fear of closure of the raw silk yarn reeling mother unit of KSIC in T Narsipur, and two weaving units in Mysuru and Channapatna. With completion of some remaining work, they have few more sarees available for sale.

Already the showroom at KSIC unit in Mysuru is closed and their employees too had joined the protest in T Narsipur. People at the KSIC showroom near Zoo, were greeted with empty racks. Nine employees were available to sell eight remaining sarees ranging from Rs 18,500 to Rs 2,60,000.

Even as Congress leaders claimed that only after seeking the opinion of KSIC officials, CM decided to use land for the stadium, according to sources at KSIC they have always attempted to retain land and cleared that the land is not appropriate for the stadium. The employees association had met the CM twice to save the land and he had assured them of visiting spot and deciding about land. So the employees were confident in the CM's words. But it was only after officials of youth empowerment and sports came with a team to put the boundary stone, the employees began protesting.

KSIC employees said, "They have put the boundary stone just five feet away from the 5 tph (tonne per hour) boiler which generates about 100 degree temperature. The leaders should visit the spot to understand the ground reality."

"I am disappointed that the sarees are not available for a family wedding. There is no match for Mysore silk saree, though several crepe silk sarees are available in the market. KSIC units and our Mysore silk sarees should be saved" said Savitha, a customer.

According to employees association members, they fear that, KSIC unit in T Narsipura will be closed as the stadium cannot exist next to 5tph (tonne per hour) and 2tph boilers or dump yard of cinder ash generated by burning coal; there won't be a way to transport 5 tonne per day of coal. The pipeline from the river passes through this buffer of 5 acre land. So, when there is no raw material, Mysore Silk sarees cannot be weaved. So, the employees will lose jobs and it will be the end of the era of Mysore silk sarees.