TIRUPPUR: The lustre of ‘Metal Town’ in Tiruppur, a prominent centre for production of metal vessels in the state, is fading owing to a labour shortage in the industry. Anuparpalayam, once home to over 10,000 skilled hands crafting gleaming silver, brass, and copper vessels, is now losing its sheen as the younger generation is choosing the knitwear industry over metal production which pays little and offers no security or benefits.
Sources said vessels are sent to various parts of the state and nearby states too. Existing workers want their needs attended to and when TNIE visited the workplaces and spoke to workers, they raised their varied demands, ranging from better pay to power tariff concessions.
SP Venugopal, a vessel worker from Anuparpalayam, said, “Vessel manufacturing is a cumbersome job. Most vessels here are handmade, but the wages we are paid is as low as Rs 7 for producing 1 kg of silver vessels. Similarly, brass fetches Rs 40/kg as wage. This is what drives the youth to the knitting industry.”
Another worker, P Prasath, said, “We have no job security. Although we have a welfare board, 80% of us do not have a membership card and therefore, no ESI or PF benefits. The government should provide schemes to turn us into able entrepreneurs.”
B Nagarajan, the supervisor of a metal vessel unit, said, “Our industry is already struggling due to concerns such as rising raw material cost. The government should provide us with schemes and incentives to promote our business. If the industry grows, workers will also benefit.”
S Yakob, the owner of a unit, said, “The government should provide concessions on power tariffs to promote our industry.”
“A separate welfare board should be set up for vessel workers. Most workers do not have their own houses, Therefore, the government should build them apartments. Banks should easily provide loans to start new businesses. Workers will only come to this industry if such safety measures are put in place. Only then will the industry survive and thrive,” said S Selvaraj, general secretary of the Anupparpalayam Vessel Workers’ Union (AITUC).
B Karthigaivasan, manager of the District Industries Centre, said, “There is a ‘Kalaignar Kaivinai Thittam’ scheme for vessel workers to start their own business. No educational qualification needed for this scheme. The applicant should be above 35 and have five years of professional experience. It provides subsidised loans upto Rs 3 lakh.”
K Senthilkumar, assistant commissioner of Labour (Social Security Scheme) in Tiruppur, said, “There is no separate welfare board for vessel workers. Steps will be taken to issue membership cards to those workers through a special camp. Appropriate awareness activities will be conducted.”