Kochi: Industries minister E.P. Jayarajan has annonced that the state government will soon appoint a special committee for rebuilding the Chendamangalam weaver village, which has been devastated in the deluge. The decision was taken at a meeting convened by the minister in Thiruvananthapuram on Wednesday.
Deccan Chronicle had reported on Wednesday that despite the support from various national and international agencies to rebuild the weavers’ village, there was lack of coordination and government intervention for its utilisation.
The committee will consist of the two MLAs from the area V.D. Sath-eesan and S. Sharma, director of State Hand-loom and Textiles directorate, managing director of HANTEX (Ha-ndloom Weavers Co-operative Society Li-mited), district general manager of Ernakulam district industrial centre and representatives of various trade unions.
The committee will be responsible for executing the proposals and decisions taken at the meeting.
The State Cabinet will discuss and finalise the structure of the committee and a government order will be issued soon.
“The industries minister has also agreed to favourably consider the request for temporary financial assistance to the affected weavers, who lost their means of living. The weavers’ families have been in distress for more than two months after the monsoon intensified,”
said Mr P.A. Sojan, secretary of the Chendamangalam Kaithari Naithu Vya-vasaya Production-cum-Sale Cooperative Society, who attended the meeting.
The minister said that PSUs like Cochin Shipyard Limited and Petronet LNG Limited had expressed willingness to rebuild the weavers’ village.
“Steps will be taken to get the support of the PSUs,” he said at the meeting.
It was decided to provide '10,000 to repair the partially damaged looms while '40,000 will be given to replace the completely damaged looms. Kerala Artisans Devel-opment Corporation will take up repairing and setting up of looms.
HANTEX has been asked to provide thread, yarn and other necessary materials for weavers for the next six months. The agency is also entrusted with marketing the garments for six months.
Mr V.D. Satheesan, Mr S. Sharma, top officials of government departments and representatives of handloom societies attended the meeting.
