Works suspended following row over construction of stadium at KSIC filature

Amid the hue and cry over the construction of a proposed stadium in Karnataka Silk Industries Corporation (KSIC) filature factory in T. Narsipur — which supplies raw silk for manufacture of the famed Mysore Silk saris — the civil works for the stadium project have reportedly been suspended pending a high-level meeting between the Departments of Sericulture and Youth Empowerment and Sports.

Ongoing protest

Employees of the filature factory, who are on strike for the past few days against the proposed stadium in the factory which falls in Chief Minister Siddaramaiah’s Varuna Assembly constituency, are demanding a firm guarantee that the stadium will be shifted elsewhere.

Managing director of KSIC Zehera Naseem met Deputy Commissioner Lakshmikant Reddy in Mysuru on Monday, apparently to address the crisis and sources indicate that Nirmiti Kendra, a State government enterprise that has been assigned the work to build a boundary wall for the proposed stadium, has been orally instructed to keep the work in abeyance for about three days.

The transfer of five acres out of the 13 in the factory, approved by KSIC’s board of directors, to the Department of Youth Affairs and Sports for the stadium announced by Mr. Siddaramaiah in the 2025 Budget, has been opposed by the employees and has also been condemned by citizens groups and environmentalists.

Why it is important

The filature is a key unit in the Mysuru Silk ecosystem, operating two automatic reeling machines (ARMs) and processing around 2,000 to 2,500 kg of carefully selected cocoons from markets such as Kollegal, Ramanagara, and Sidlaghatta. It produces about 200 to 250 kg of high-quality raw silk used in Geographical Indication (GI)-tagged Mysuru Silk saris.

The five-acres of “buffer” land identified for the stadium is considered “critical” for the factory’s functioning. The tree cover helps mitigate heat and odour, while the open land is used for disposing of cinder ash generated from coal-fired boilers. The facility also maintains a month’s stock of cocoons treated with hot air.

Growing demand

The proposal has also raised concerns as KSIC was reportedly planning to expand production to meet growing demand. The popularity of Mysuru Silk saris is evident from the queues outside the KSIC showroom on Mananthavadi Road, where customers often line up as early as 4 a.m. on days when fresh stock arrives.

The filature employs around 192 workers — most of them women on contract from economically weaker sections — who fear loss of livelihood if the unit is downsized, relocated or shut, sources said.