NewsKarnataka – Mangalore

Mangalore: The South Kanara and  Udupi District Beedi Contractors Union, Hind Mazdoor Sangh (HMS) and Karavali District Beedi Contractors Association have been in a scuffle with a Gujarat-based beedi manufacturing company since the past few years and the same has now been settled following talks.

Speaking to reporters in this regard on January 6, Monday, Mohammed Rafi, Secretary of the Association said, “The Gujarat-based beedi manufacturing company has promised to  provide better quality of beedi leaves as demanded by us.”

The major issue is that Prabhudas and Kishoredas Tobacco Products, ‘Telephone Beedi’ is a Gujarat-based beedi company  that is  hiring laborers on a contract basis around the district at a very low cost.

 They expect 1 lac bidis from 50 kg leaves while the fact is that the labourers could make  only 1,600 bidis as the quality of the leaves supplied by the company is poor and the wastage is more.Moreover,the other raw materials too are of a bad quality, Rafi pointed out.

Rafi said following  a protest, a meeting was held in the presence of officers of the company and the labour commissioner along with the union representatives. Stating that the meeting has been fruitful, he said, “The have decided to give 52kgs of leave rather than 50kg and the raw materials that will be supplied will be of an upgraded quality.”