Plight of Pongal potters

Chennai: In Vadanoombal village near Thiruverkadu, potters prepare for the upcoming Pongal festival. Generations ago, over 50 families used to make pots together in the village but now only five or six do it. The villagers source the mud from far away areas for Rs 1,500 a load but they are still not able to procure enough, they complain. 

“When Jayalalithaa was the Chief minister, we used to get Rs 5,000 a year from the government as compensation for Pongal, especially after cyclones and rainfall lashed the state. This time around, however, the money has not come,”  they said.

The younger generation is not interested in this such kind of labour.

Urging the Tamil Nadu government to support their needs, the villagers seek help for procuring the raw materials.  “Recently plastic ban was implemented. Our products could also be highlighted as an alternative. We can make plates and tumblers too,” they said. They also asked the government to allow them to showcase their products in traditional exhibitions.