Date:02/02/2008 URL: http://www.thehindu.com/2008/02/02/stories/2008020255110500.htm

Andhra Pradesh

They emerge winners against odds

Ramesh Susarla

Handloom products made by leprosy patients who have been cured are in great demand abroad

. – Photo: T. Vijaya Kumar

Leprosy patients and their children making straps for handloom products at Bapatla in Guntur district for export to European Counties

BAPATLA: They are outcastes despite numerous efforts by the government to integrate them into the mainstream of society.

Leprosy patients, who have been cured but have deformity and their children still undergo the trauma of not being accepted by people around them or far off in the country as a human being.

Rehabilitation of leprosy patients had been done on a grand scale, but the eco-friendly and quality handloom products they churn out from the production unit at Bethany Colony established in 1950 does not have patronage in India. Putting all Indian exporters and normal artisans to shame is the fact that all their produce is exported to Finland, United States, United Kingdom, Canada, Germany and Norway.

Even government departments do not buy the cost-effective bed sheets, linen and other handloom products for hostels or do not make an effort to get orders for their ‘Aezo-free’ environment-friendly dyed colourful cell-phone covers, vanity bags, purses, schoolbags and other multi-purpose straps, says P. Macherla, technician.

People from all castes, creeds, religion suffering from leprosy were then rehabilitated at this colony and it was the munificence of the then Chief Minister N.T. Rama Rao, who got 341 houses built in 1985. German funding from AMG International and some other philanthropists is helping the Bethany Colony Leprosy Association (BCLA) to engage cured or deformed patients earn a livelihood by spinning thread, weaving them into straps, or as bed sheets on handlooms.

Exports

All latest trends prevailing in the importing nations are taken into consideration and the designs regularly changed, said Project Coordinator D. Satyamurthy.

The centre as on date exports products valued at Rs.15 lakh and is hungry for further orders. Irony is despite all these efforts some do not find work and are forced to go for begging.