Summary:
Tirupur: A 46-year-old powerloom unit owner was booked on charges of illegally manufacturing towels reserved for handloom sector near Uthukuli here on Wednesday. So, powerlooom units could easily capture the market as the people will obviously go in for cheaper products,” said a senior handloom department official.He said the handloom reservation Act was brought in to safeguard the livelihood of handloom operators. The handloom department hasn’t created awareness about the Act among us.”He said they often hesitate to lodge complaints against the violators for fear of inviting their enmity. “Many of the reserved varieties are rampantly manufactured by powerloom operators. The implementing authority of the act in the state is enforcement wing of the handloom department.A handloom society representative said the Act was enacted after they stressed on the need to protect their livelihood..