Silver ornament makers in Salem struggle to get biz

Silver ornament makers in Salem struggle to get biz

Senthil.Kumaran@timesgroup.com

30.09.2020

The shine of Salem’s silver ornament-making industry seems to have worn off during the pandemic-induced lockdown with orders dwindling, the economy taking a nosedive and less dispensable money in the hands of buyers.

The units in Salem employing nearly 80,000 people directly and indirectly have been facing financial issues for the past six months. “We usually get orders from New Delhi, Kolkata, Maharashtra, Gujarat, Andhra Pradesh, Telangana, Karnataka and Kerala, but since the lockdown we have hardly been getting any orders,” said M Govindan, one of the ornament manufacturers in Shevapet. The kuthuvilakku (lamps), kumkuma chimil (kumkum holder), silver pot, ankle chains, hip chains, metti (toe rings) are their usual bestsellers.

More than 1,500 silver ornaments manufacturing units have been functioning in Tirumalaigiri, Sivadapuram, Vedukathampatty, Panangkadu and its surrounding villages while more than 800 units are functioning at Shevapet, Annadhanapatty and Maniyanur areas in Salem. All these units have not got any orders since March 25. “Every day, each unit faces losses of up to ₹10,000,” said T Manikandan, another manufacturing unit owner from Sivadhapuram.

One of the workers, A Venkatesh, 38, said he used to earn nearly Rs10,000 a month, but has been without work for the better part of the year. “My income was zero during the lockdown period,” he said. With no other skills, Venkatesh had to take up a job as a construction worker to make ends meet when construction work was allowed in June. Though Venkatesh wishes to return to his silver ornament-making work once again, his employers have asked him to wait for another month. “I don’t have any other choice until normal work resumes at my unit,” he said.

According to Salem district silver ankle chains manufacturers, nearly five tonnes of silver trade was affected because of this lockdown and pandemic. “There’s no transport facilities to travel to other states and they also don’t have any option to reach Salem,” said M Parandhaman, a manufacturer, who said the present option of hiring a vehicle or taking flights will hike their production costs. The manufacturers have appealed to the state and Union governments to take steps to operate inter-state buses and trains so that trade can resume again

NOT ALL GLITTER: A file photo of workers at a manufacturing unit in Salem. Several such units have not received orders in past six months