Beedi workers pin hopes on TRS govt

• Concern over the statutory warning symbol on the beedi packets
• Beedi workers worried over implementation of new order from April 1
• Manufacturers preparing to fight against the GO 727

Karimnagar: From March onwards beedi workers in the State are set to receive Rs 1,000 monthly pension as per the decision taken by the Chief Minister K Chandrasekhar Rao. But the beedi workers are likely to face another problem from March due to the decision taken recently by the Central Government to publish the statutory warning sign with picture of ‘Skull and a dead body’ on the beedi packets.

The Central Government issued orders of the GO-727 regarding the use of skull symbol on the beedi packet wrappers. The beedi workers staged dharnas and rasto rokos at all villages across the district as a protest against the order.

On July 5, 2006 the GO-297 was issued by the Congress government to carry the picture of skull and a dead body on the beedi packets. However, the then Chief Minister YS Rajashekhara Reddy had withdrawn the Order on July 20, 2007.But after eight years again the government issued the GO-727. At present there is 40 per cent depiction of statutory warning of cancer on the beedi packets.

However, with the government’s decision the depiction of statutory warning symbol will increase to 85 per cent and the remaining 15 per cent will be used to publish the name of the manufacturing company. According to the GO along with the skull symbol (85%), manufacturing date, expiry date and the percentage of Nicotine (15%) should be published.

The owners of the beedi manufacturing companies are opposing the GO alleging that when the name of the company is not able to appear clearly on the beedi packets, the customer feels it difficult in buying the product resulting loss to the company.

They also decided that they will fight till the government rollbacks its decision .They also threatened that they will shut the companies from March. A letter has also been written by the beedi manufacturers and Tobacco Merchants Association to the Central Government in this regard.

Along with the 18 big companies of beedi manufacturing like Ganesh, Heera Lal Prabhu, Sambaji, Desai Brothers, Sri Rama, Telephone, Tagore Suadagar and Shivaji, there are hundreds of small companies which are providing livelihood to the lakhs of beedi workers in the Telangana State.

The beedi workers are getting the work only for 15 days in a month. If the beedi manufacturing companies shut down their companies then the beedi workers have to face severe problems even though they receive Rs 1,000 pension from the State Government.

Plea to CM
The beedi manufacturing industry is largely concentrated in Nizamabad and Karimnagar districts of North Telangana. Nearly two lakh people in Karimnagar district eke out a livelihood through beedi manufacturing. The TRS government right from the beginning said that it will protect the interests of beedi workers and gave assurances in this regard. One of the promises made to the beedi workers is provision of pension to them.Chief Minister K Chandrasekhar Rao will handover pension to the beneficiaries tomorrow.

Since the Central Government has taken the decision, the beedi manufacturing companies and many beedi workers in the Telangana are urging the TRS Government and Chief Minister KCR to take initiation and exert pressure on the Central Government to withdraw the decision of GO-727 issued to implement from April 1st and save the beedi manufacturing industry in Telangana and also beedi workers living in
the State.