Chopping of trees in Badanavaal Khadi Centre condemned

The reported chopping of trees in Badanavaal Khadi Centre in Nanjangud taluk, near here, has been condemned by the Gandhians.

Addressing a press conference in Mysuru on Saturday, Prasanna from Gram Seva Sangha described the cutting of trees for construction of a compound wall as “desecration” of the Khadi centre through “recklessness” of the officials.

The hedge fence has remained the boundary of the Khadi Centre for decades, he said, regretting that officials had begun the process of reviving the Khadi centre with “construction activity” for obvious reasons, while the handloom workers had gone without work for months. “The size and shape of the centre has been altered,” alleged Mr. Prasanna, who is also a noted theatre personality.

He condemned the reported move by the Textiles Department and Karnataka Handloom Development Corporation’s (KHDC) to promote “powerloom Khadi” and “synthetic Khadi” instead of nurturing pure Khadi and pure handlooms.

Condemning the reckless introduction of powerlooms in rural areas, Mr. Prasanna said that “they are cutting the very roots of village economy, the hall mark of Gandhian ideas.”