BARGARH: Amid a sense of uncertainty and panic, hundreds of weavers in Bargarh district, who sold their products at Behera Kapda Bazaar in Balijori Handloom market met the additional district magistrate (ADM) on Monday to submit a memorandum protesting the administration decision to shift them to a nearby market complex named Bunakar Bazaar.
Much against the wish of the weavers, the administration has given an ultimatum to the weavers to shift their operations from Behera Kapda Bazaar to the newly-constructed Bunakar Bazaar which has been lying unused even though it is situated adjacent to the existing Balijori market.
The Behera Kapda Bazaar, popularly known as Balijori handloom haat is probably the largest open sky handloom market in Asia which operates only on Wednesday, every week. Still, within a business period of around six hours from 4 am to 10 am, the market records a transaction of around Rs 4 crores on an average.
Thousands of weavers from Bargarh and Barpali, besides nearby districts of Jharsuguda, Sambalpur, Sonepur, Nuapada, Kalahandi, Sundargarh in the region as well as from Mahasamund and Raigarh in neighbouring Chhattisgarh turn up with their handloom products at the market every week.The market is known for genuine quality of handloom at a price cheaper than any government or private outlets.
While the haat has been operating since years, the weavers never complained about any amenities.
However, lately, a well-equipped three-storey complex was developed by the Handlooms and Textiles department at an estimated cost of Rs 5 crore over two acre land. The purpose was to organise the Balijori market and popularise it widely. However, the decision triggered resentment among the weavers who did not want to shift to the complex. It has been lying vacant since last around four years.
President of Sambalpuri Kapda Bazaar Bunakar Sangha, Ajodhya Meher said, “The Behera Kapda Bazaar has been running in the same manner without disturbing any one in that area. While the space is very less to accommodate all the weavers who do business in the market, the new comlpex will also raise a misconception among the buyers that the products will be sold at a higher prices in the new set-up, which will refrain them from visiting us and lead to loss,” he said, adding, we were never consulted.
“If the government really wants to help us, they should give us another open space of 20-25 acre with sheds and a proper parking space. We can shift to any other place but not this complex,” he said.Another weaver from Sarkanda, Subash Meher, said, “Over 3,000 weavers come to the Behera bazaar for business every week, but the building has less than 150 rooms.”
ADM Mirdha Toppo said, “We have received a memorandum. We had given them a deadline long ago and we will start shifting them to the new complex from this Wednesday. The requirement for more space can be estimated only after they start settling there.”