Guwahati: Teams from the Directorate of Handloom & Textiles, Assam, have been carrying out raids across the state on power loom gamosas imported from other states by unscrupulous businessmen.
During raids on businesses in Fancy Bazar area of Guwahati, a team from the Department managed to confiscate 360 gamosas from outside the state in Fancy Bazar in the past one week. Yesterday, the team seized 58 such gamosas from shops and footpath vendors in the commercial heart of the city.
The raids assume more significance owing to the Assamese gamosa receiving the coveted geographical indication (GI) tag on April 13, 2023. Since then, the raids on mill-made or power loom gamosas brought to the state from states like West Bengal, South India and, more recently, from Gujarat have increased.
During the financial year 2023-24, more than 32,942 power loom gamosas were seized by the district officials from various business establishments as per Handloom Reservation Act, 1985.
It should be stated here that the traditional Assamese gamosa is hand-woven on looms by weavers, mainly women in the state. The price of these handloom gamosas is also higher than power loom ones and unscrupulous businessmen take advantage of people who are not able to discern the original hand-woven ones from the power loom gamosas. If the price of a handloom gamosa is Rs 100, then that of a power loom one is Rs 50. The profit margin is an added incentive to these unscrupulous businessmen to bring in these mass-produced power loom gamosas from outside the state.
Moreover, the upsurge in the price of yarn has pushed up the price of traditional handloom gamosas. As a result, the price of a ‘phulam’ gamosa has increased by Rs 100 to Rs 300. Many shoppers on Bihu and other occasions are forced to buy the power loom gamosas as they are unable to afford the original hand-woven ones.
Sources from the Handloom & Textiles Department said that the seizure of the power loom gamosas are not up to the mark as shopkeepers hide them as soon as they come to know about the seizure drives. They said that the ongoing drive will continue to take necessary action to prevent the selling of the power loom gamosas so that local weavers get their actual price against their hand-woven gamosas through the local market.
Meanwhile, the Departmentally Related Standing Committee of Assam Legislative Assembly recommended that the Weavers Extension Service Unit & Handloom Production Centre are to be strengthened by providing working capital and improved looms so as to produce sufficient handloom products like gamosas to face the competition from power loom-made gamosas.
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