Beedi manufacturers go on strike for 10-days

Nizamabad: The Telangana Beedi Manufacturers Association has called for 10-day strike in the backdrop of the norms issued by the Union Health Ministry which direct the beedi manufacturers to enlarge the danger sign of skull with bones from 45 percent to 85 percent on beedi bundles.

The manufacturers claim that the proposed warning sign would hamper the sales of beedi. President of the Association, Hitendra Upadhyaya, said that people are already reluctant to come forward due to increased health awareness and implementing the new norm would decrease the sales further.

"How we can publish our company’s and product’s names on the rolls if the danger sign occupies 85 per cent of the space. Nearly, 10 lakh labourers survive on this industry and if this gets implemented livelihood of many would be lost," Hitendra said.

The manufacturers appealed to Chief Minister K Chandrasekhar Rao to hold discussions with the Union government and convince them to withdraw the GO. The protesters have threatened to intensify their stir if the government fails to meet their demands in favor of the beedi industry.

Beedi workers under the 'Telangana Beedi Workers Joint Action Committee' staged a protest at Nizamabad Tahsildar office on Monday.