HYDERABAD, Nov 1: The residents of Choori Para have earned for Hyderabad the distinction of the city with largest bangle industry in the world, but now the industry is on the verge of destruction due to lack of attention by the authorities.

The residents of the colony have been facing a host of problems as no government and local administration has paid attention to their well being.

Most of the residents of the colony had migrated from different parts of India after Independence. Here they had resumed work of bangle production, which they inherited from their ancestors at a small scale. Their efforts had gradually developed the largest bangle industry in the world.

However, despite their work hard, the bangle workers are living in worse condition as most of them survive on the poverty line due to non-payment of their wages.

The organization of the bangle workers is not functioning for the last few years due to a conflict among its office-bearers. Because of that, the bangle workers do not have any platform through which they can approach the authorities concerned to get their problems resolved.

Ghulam Mohammad 55, lamented that he had been engaged in bangle work since he was only 10-year-old, but he was still struggling to earn two meals a day for his family.

He said that his children and grand children were also engaged in the work, since due to abject poverty they did not get education.

When pointed that the government had declared bangle manufacturing an industry, Ghulam Mohammed replied that it benefited only the owners of bangle making units, and not the workers.

He deplored that the successive governments never took any step for the promotion of the industry and well being of the workers, who were exploited by their employers.

He said that the workers contacted the authorities concerned several times but they were turned back by the officials.

He alleged that the labour department and the Employee Old Age Benefit Institution connived with their employers at their exploitation.

Another worker, Ali Mohammed, who is engaged in the profession with 12 members of his family at his home on contract basis, said that despite round the clock work to meet the demand of the dealers, they were not getting enough money even to arrange two times meals.

He predicted that if this situation continued, the bangle industry would be destroyed.

He suggested that the district government should form committees, comprising bangle workers and officials, to protect rights of the workers.

The workers also face serious health problems due to their working conditions. The pollution, caused by toxic material and gas burners, poses threat to the health of the workers as most of them complained of chest and eye diseases.—APP