Chennai, April 19 (KNN) The local weavers in and around Sankarankovil town of Tamil Nadu are currently on strike till April 30 against the hike in hank yarn price.

Approximately 15,000 powerloom weavers have decided to stage a strike from April 18 to 30 protesting against the State and Central governments for the price hike of the hank yarn.

The weavers have planned to stage various forms of protests including fasting.

They have urged the State government to take steps to form a tripartite committee including the government representatives, yarn manufacturers, and weavers for the fair price fixation, said the Master Weavers' Association and Textile Weavers' Association.

Around 30 lakh families across Tamil Nadu are depending on six lakh powerloom units and in Sankarankovil alone, nearly 20,000 families' livelihoods depend on 4,000 powerloom units.

“Each month, we are paying Rs 1 crore as GST on our production and another Rs 50 lakh GST on purchasing Rs 10 crore-worth hank yarn,” said, Secretary of Master Weavers' Association T S A Subramanian.

The price of a yarn bundle, weighing 4.75 kg, has increased from Rs 1,455 in August 2020, to Rs 2,385 in April 2022.

Subramanian has accused that hoarders are illegally keeping a huge stock of the yarn which increases its price.

The local weavers have already petitioned Chief Minister M K Stalin, Minister for Handloom and Textiles R Gandhi, Chief Secretary V Irai Anbu, and other officials with all their demands including the ban of export of hank yarn. (KNN Bureau)