SALEM: For P Rajendran, a worker from Reddipatti in Salem, the upcoming month of April looks bleak. The 65-year-old, who has been working in a silver anklet workshop for over two decades, has been told that there will be no work until elections are over, as the Model Code of Conduct (MCC) has made transporting valuable materials an uphill task.
With the MCC in effect, the jewellery manufacturing ecosystem in Salem is suffering a blow due to the strict checks on the movement of goods to prevent misuse of money and valuables during elections. Industry members estimate that nearly 75,000 workers, mostly daily wage earners, are now left without jobs.
Rajendran works in the rolling and pressing stage, where silver bars are flattened into thin sheets. As he is paid based on output, he says that without any orders, there is no income. “I have been in this industry for 50 years, but have never faced such a situation. Earlier, I would earn around Rs 4,000 a week. These days, even Rs 2,000 a week is difficult, and at present, there is no work at all. For the first time in all these years, these machines are lying idle,” he said, pointing at the silent equipment beside him.
The story is not very different for many such families involved in anklet manufacturing for generations. A major hub for silver anklet production, Salem is home to nearly 10,000 units employing around 1.15 lakh people. The work is carried out in 18 stages across small units, covering processes such as melting, shaping, assembling and polishing. Areas like Sivathapuram, Shevapet and Panangadu house several such clusters, which now present a dull picture, with many units shut and workers left idle due to a lack of orders.
“Earlier, we would not even get a day’s leave. Now, when we come to work, we are asked to go back,” said a worker. Another woman engaged in polishing said that paying rent for the workspace has now become difficult.
Manufacturers have also raised concerns. C Shree Anandarajan, president of Salem District Kolusu Manufacturers Kaivinai Sangam, said the rules have not kept pace with rising silver prices. “Anklet-making involves transporting silver across multiple small units, but frequent checks and long procedures, even with proper documents, disrupt the process.
It is also difficult to generate bills during production. During the 2024 Lok Sabha polls, 272g of silver anklets were seized despite having proper documents, and retrieving them was a daunting task. To avoid such risks and delays, many traders have stopped supplying raw materials and placing orders this time,” he said.
S Aravind (31), who runs a small unit that designs anklet patterns, said the timing has worsened the situation. “With Akshaya Tritiya coming in a few weeks, we would usually be busy with orders by now. However, this year, we have not received any,” he said, adding that he currently employs only one worker, instead of the earlier five, as he could not pay salaries.