sentinelgroup@gmail.com
Handloom gamosa vs. power loom gamosa
It is indeed a matter of regret and surprise that Assam's pride, the GI-tagged traditional Assamese Gamosa and the handloom items woven on traditional handloom, have failed to cater to the rising market demand, especially during Bihu festivities. As a result, prohibited Gamosa made on power looms have flooded the markets in the state during April for Rangali Bihu. It is not understood why traditional weavers in the state have failed to meet the market demand even after getting an adequate supply of yarn at subsidised rates. The editorial, 'Making traditional looms spin more money,' published in your esteemed daily on February 27, has rightly pointed out that the state's weavers bear more transportation expenditures in yarn procurement due to the absence of a yarn bank at the block level. In this regard, the recommendation by the Housing Committee to the Handloom Textile and Sericulture Department to set up a yarn bank at the Weavers Extension Service Unit (WESU) and Handloom Production Centre at the block level to overcome the challenges of competition from power loom Gamosa is indeed a pragmatic and result-orientated solution. Ensuring the availability of yarn at doorsteps for the convenience of women weavers has posed a great challenge for the concerned department. If this challenge is overcome smoothly, it will act as a pull factor to increase the production of Gamosa on a commercial scale to meet the rising market demand. Unless the customers understand that power loom Gamosa is much cheaper because of their low quality and are determined that there will be no compromise on quality, it is impossible to protect the Gamosa for economically backward weavers of the state. Increasing the production of indigenous Gamosa, which benefits a large section of the state’s weavers, is of utmost necessity, and therefore, the state government and various stakeholders in the handloom value chain must brainstorm to evolve an innovative marketing strategy for the state's handloom products to check the sale of prohibited power loom Gamosa during the festival seasons. What is needed from the government's flagship scheme of Swanirbhar Narii is the direct procurement guarantee of gamosa from the weavers through an online portal, which will ensure a win-win situation for both weavers and buyers without the intervention of middlemen, provided there is no devil in the details.
Iqbal Saikia,
Guwahati.
Snan success story
Nearly 700 million people have congregated, in the most chaotic manner, arriving at their most vulnerable, with barely any wherewithal, across a month and a half in the most unsecured places, yet not a single report of a rape incident. If one were to interpolate from any other public event, not comparable but suggestive, not exceeding 1000s, like music festivals or soccer matches, etc., if the most modest percentage of crime was applied, the number of crimes would far surpass the population of over 50% of the nation globally when applied to the total figure. It’s mind-boggling that so many people from the poorest to the youngest to the oldest have attended this biggest-ever celebration of mankind, science, faith, belief, religion, culture, and civilisation.
Jayanthi Subramaniam
(jayantck1@hotmail.com)
National Science Day
National Science Day is celebrated every year on February 28 with a new theme to commemorate Sir C.V. Raman's discovery of the Raman Effect. The theme for this year, 2025, is “Empowering Indian Youth for Global Leadership in Science and Innovation for VIKSIT Bharat.” The theme provides the outline of a course of action for seminars and discussions to be held at the Vigyan Bhawan.
Jubel D'Cruz,
(jubeldcruz@yahoo.com)