KENDRAPARA: Kewda leaf products are back in a new avatar, thanks to a group of women from Ramnagar and Kharinashi villages under Mahakalapada block of Kendrapara district. Around 80 women from Ramnagar have taken up making caps, fans, baskets, toys, bags and pen stands with Kewda leaves for a living. The ecofriendly, biodegradable products have found wide acceptance among citydwellers. Incidentally, the region has around two lakh Kewda trees, popularly known as Kiya.
The women here have formed groups to facilitate the trade. "We started of with 15 members in 2006. The membership has increased with time, with more women venturing into the trade for livelihood," said Champabati Samal, head of one such group, adding that each member earns anything between ` 1,500 and ` 3,000 a month.
Former chairman of Mahakalapada block Balaram Parida said the demand for Kewda leaf products has increased owing to their nice look and durability. The products are widely in use in and around Kendrapara, he added.
Measures are also being taken to promote the craft form. A District Industrial Centre (DIC) official said the organisation had recently conducted a skill upgradation workshop in which 25 Kewda leaf artisans participated.
"Earlier, Kewda was extensively used in medicines, perfumes and cosmetics. Now, the Kewda leaves have shown the women a path to a better future," said Ramnagar Sarpanch Bijaya Shukla.