INSUBCONTINENT EXCLUSIVE:
A research study found that a large number of workers frequently suffer cough, fatigue, body ache, etc
Worryingly, the study also found that they spend an average of Rs 7,248 per year on medical expenses, which amounts to 29.2 percent of
their annual income
Wheezing has been persistent for 38-year-old A Kowsalya, a beedi roller from Tamil Nadu, who suffers
because her job has become an inescapable reality
Her doctor has advised her to take a break from the occupation, but this is an option she can ill-afford."If I stop doing this work even for
a while, the contractors will stop giving me work altogether
Kowsalya, a resident of Nettur village in Tirunelveli district, earns a meagre Rs 140 for every set of one thousand beedis she rolls
school fees in the future.Kowsalya is one of 460 women interviewed by AF Development Care, a New Delhi-based research consulting agency, for
a study on the living conditions of beedi workers in Tamil Nadu and Karnataka
Out of the total respondents, 400 women presently work as beedi rollers while the remaining 60 have now left the occupation.What did the
study find:The research found that a large number of workers frequently suffer from cough, fatigue, body ache, etc
Worryingly, the study also found that they spend an average of Rs 7,248 per year on medical expenses, which amounts to 29.2 percent of their
annual income they earn through the occupation.R Amutha, 48, has been rolling beedis for thirty years now, and earns Rs 200 for every set of
1,000 hand-rolled cigarettes
Neerad PandharipandeWhile the exorbitant yearly health expense is one indicator of how the job takes a toll on the workers, many women also
listed out other serious health issues that came with the occupation
For other symptoms of ill health such as breathing difficulty, cough and abdominal pain, the corresponding figures are 18.6 percent, 13.3
percent and 18.8 respectively.While beedi rolling takes a significant toll on health of the workers, the amount of money they earn through
Women beedi rollers in Karnataka earn slightly better (Rs 26,266) than their counterparts in Tamil Nadu (Rs 23,307), the study found.In
comparison, the average annual income of women who shifted from beedi rolling to alternative occupations was significantly high at Rs
58,431.In a previous study, AF Development Care had analysed data from the National Sample Survey Organisation (NSSO) to show that in
2011-2012, as many as 96 percent of beedi workers were home-based, while only 4 percent worked in factories
is only one such in India where the workers get wages based on the number of units (in this case, number of beedis) they produce
the piece-rate (the number of units of the commodity that are produced), into account.It is little surprising then that over half of the
beedi rollers interviewed for the study (53.8 percent) said that they wanted to shift to alternate occupations.Low pay, tough working
She has been rolling beedis for thirty years now, and earns Rs 200 for every set of 1,000 hand-rolled cigarettes.Speaking to Firstpost,
Amutha said that she will be happy to take up an alternative job if she gets a better opportunity
I take a break for a few hours, and then again do the same work for a few hours in the evening
Chithirai Kani, left beedi rolling a year ago, and although she is facing hard times on the economic front, she does not intend to go back
However, the hotel was closed recently
Now, I am working on my farm, but the rains have been scarce this year
But I will certainly not take up beedi-making again
Chithirai Kani, left beedi rolling a year ago, and although she is facing hard times on the economic front, she does not intend to go back
However, I often used to suffer from breathing difficulties and body ache because of it
Of late, I have also been suffering from heart-related ailments
I have two sons and they have started working as labourers now
only to be expected given the present nature of beedi-making further, says Sachi Satapathy, the principal investigator of the study
conducted by AF Development Care
They also have to remain in a particular sitting position for several hours at a stretch, sometimes in houses without adequate ventilation
These women are grossly underpaid and exploited
What makes matters worse is that even though they are prone to many long-term ailments, healthcare facilities in rural areas are often
rollers are home-based, they do not get the benefit of labour laws
contractors who give them work
they are of inferior quality
rollers be provided training for alternative occupations, but it should also be ensured that there is an economically viable market for the
alternative skills.Broadly, what becomes clear from the study is that improving the condition of beedi workers will require a combination of
legal safeguards as well as alternative economic opportunities.Find latest and upcoming tech gadgets online on reviewcomparepurchase.com
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