The potters submitted a memorandum to the Coimbatore district collector seeking steps to provide earthen pots, earthen stoves, etc., along with the Pongal gift packages provided by the Tamil Nadu government.
Coimbatore: Members of the Tamil Nadu Pottery Workers' Association took out a procession to the Coimbatore district collectorate carrying soil stoves and pots on their heads.
Following this, for the benefit of the potters, the government urged the government to provide a stove made of clay and a new pot as a Pongal gift to put Pongal in a new pot. Pottery workers along with pots and stoves staged a protest in front of the Coimbatore district collectorate.
If the government directly procures the earthen pots and distributes them free of cost, the livelihood of the ailing potters will be protected, the potters said. They submitted their petitions to the District Collector. Speaking to reporters, the potters' association said that pongal gift packages are distributed by the Tamil Nadu government on every Pongal festival.
In order to protect the interest of farmers, rice, pulses, sugar, sugarcane etc. are procured by the government and distributed free of cost to the people. Similarly, dhoties and sarees are also being distributed keeping in mind the welfare of the weavers.
They also urged the government to procure earthen pots and earthen stoves and distribute them to the people keeping in view the welfare of the workers who have traditionally been engaged in the pottery industry.
They said they have requested the Collector to recommend that the Tamil Nadu government take appropriate action as the pottery industry is currently in shambles.