Aska spinning mill lies in dilapidated condition, employees struggle to make ends meet

A spinning mill at Aska in Ganjam district has been lying in dilapidated condition for the last 11 years thanks to sheer neglect by the administration.

Once abuzz with spinning activities, the premises of the mill sprawling over 66 acres of land now lie deserted. The gate of the mill has been locked. Bushes and creepers have engulfed the building constructed with crores of rupees. Making things worse, the mechanical instruments of the mill have gathered dust after remaining dysfunctional for more than a decade due to a lack of proper maintenance. Only six security personnel are currently guarding the mill.

“The mill was closed down due to lack of financial assistance from the government. We are only guarding the building lying in dilapidated condition,” said security officer Sateesh Chandra Nayak.

The employees of the mill are going through a harrowing time after its closure. Some of them are still residing in the quarters of the mill that are in dangerous conditions. They are struggling hard to make ends meet by working as day labourers. Without having any alternative employment opportunities, some other skilled workers have gone to other states to work as migrant workers. However, they are still optimistic that the mill will be revived once again and their jobs will be restored.

“We have given our sweat and blood and sacrificed our lives for the mill which has been closed for more than 11 years now. We could not go anywhere. After the formation of the new government in Odisha, we are hopeful that the mill will run again and our sufferings will end,” said Suprabha Tripathy, a former employee of the mill.

“We gave our prime time to the mill and couldn’t do anything else. Now, we are making a living by stitching blankets. Hopefully, the mill will run again and our issues will be addressed soon,” said Prabhasini Sethy, spouse of a former employee.

Notably, the spinning mill was producing around 400 kg of cotton on a daily basis before its closure. However, frequent changes of ownership and mismanagement led to unrest among the employees following which the mill was temporarily closed in 2002. However, a private company took over the mill and ran it again after five years. But eventually, it was closed down in 2013 after Cyclone Phailin.