Preserve Comtrust factory, says survey

KOZHIKODE: The remnants, including the machinery and the building of the Common Trust Wealth (Comtrust) handloom weaving factory at Mananchira, should  be preserved. This is the finding of the preliminary inspection conducted by the officials of Archaeological Survey of India and the state’s archaeological department on Friday. The High Court had  sought a detailed report on the weaving factory in a month’s time.

In 2014, the state  department had sought the status of protected monument for the weaving factory, which had been facing  prolonged labour problems.    “The factory machines, building and the land must be preserved  because the machine and  technology are age-old used during the British period,”  said Ms Smitha S. Kumar, ASI deputy superintendent. The building meets the requirement charted as per the Ancient Monuments and Archaeological Sites and Remains Act, she added.