A report on Working Conditions of Women

workers in Beedi and Agarbatti Industry

Sharaab Ni Chawl, Ahmedabad

This report documents the conditions of some of those whose work is

related to tobacco, mostly as as beedi or agarbatti rollers in a chawl in
Ahmedabad, Gujarat. For many, the income gained from this
employment is barely enough to sustain them, or is sufficient to meet
the most basic needs.

The Deplorable
Conditions of the Slum
Introduction Dwellers

This report documents the conditions of

The tobacco industry frequently
argues that beedi rolling has been
and will remain a significant source
of employment, and that
economies like that of India will
suffer greatly if a strong tobacco
control legislation is passed. This
argument is significantly weakened
by the fact that growing world
population and incomes will
some of those whose work is related to
tobacco, mostly as as beedi or agarbatti
rollers in a chawl in Ahmedabad, Gujarat.
For many, the income gained from this
employment is barely enough to sustain
them, or is sufficient to meet the most
basic needs. Some have had their health
ruined by their work, others consider
tobacco-related employment a form of
slavery, and would gladly switch to
another field if work were available. The

contribute to maintain global report also documents the misery

tobacco consumption for the
foreseeable future. The industry
also exaggerates the numbers of
people employed by tobacco, by
suffered by women, children and tribal
people, whose oppressive circumstances
make them vulnerable to exploitation by
middlemen in the tobacco industry.
Investment in education for their children

counting those for whom tobacco is
one of the many sources of income.
Research suggests that much of the
economic gain from the tobacco
remains in the hands of a powerful
and initiatives for quality for women and
tribal people would help the poor to rise
from their deplorable conditions in
tobacco-related employment while
bringing significant economic benefits for
the country as a whole, as well.

few, while a vast number of Agarbatti making is an important

workers remain desperately poor. household industry which involves a large
number of people. Unofficially, the

children of the house also get involved

2

which are likely to have long term
repercussions on their health. The
agarbatti rollers vehemently denied the
involvement of any children but the
undeniable evidence was that of the
agarbatti coal dust which was on their
hands and clothes. There are two several
industrial units with high employment
capacities which provide employment to
these women. These units are the main
source of livelihood for the majority of the
people dwelling in these slums. Due to
establishment of agro and forest-based
industries and expansion of agarbatti and
beedi making industry, thereby attracting
people from different parts of the
country.
The Inhabitation
Sharaab ni chawl is clearly a reference to
alcohol but how this slum gets is name is
still unclear considering Gujarat is a
dry-state (Illegal to possess or consume
alcohol here without valid license). A
visitor to the slum cannot fail to notice
two distinct parts of the civic ward. Better
part of the civic ward is inhabited by
well-off people including municipal
councillors while the real slum pocket
suffers from basic problems of
congestion, pollution, poor drainage,
muddy and unlit paths, etc. The locational
Inadequate dwelling space was the most
common drawback cited by the workers,
for whom their home is also their
workplace. A small house hampers the
productivity of the enterprise. A worker
cannot take bulk work orders as she
cannot store raw materials. She cannot
work throughout the day on account of
competing needs of space within the
household or the arrival of visitors, and
other family activities must take place
around the work.
Occupational Health Hazards
Almost two thirds of the home-based
workers surveyed identified hazardous
working conditions that impacted their
health.
The beedi makers health suffers due to
constant sitting and because of
involuntary inhalation of tobacco dust.
Small children and infants who are
around, also suffer from respiratory
problems. It is very common for the
people to become victims of tuberculosis
and asthma at the early age of 30-35
years.
4
advantages of this slum include proximity
to the market area and workplaces,
besides the availability of vacant land. The
average period of residence of the slum
dwellers is 25 years. The residents of the
slum work in godowns (warehouses) and
at different shops. The womenfolk are
engaged in beedi making to augment the
family income. Slum dwellers daily
earning after ten hour of hard work
comes to about 30-40 rupees and this is
only, three-four rupees per hour.
Agarbatti rolling is mainly done by women
in Scheduled Castes or other Backwards
Castes, also many Muslim women who
stated social constraints against going out
for work was the main reason for doing
this home-based work. Many women
identified the employment as helpful as
they can bring in income working at
home, on a flexible schedule, while also
taking care of their family and other
domestic duties. The financial
independence they gained was seen as
positive. As well, they noted that little or
no initial investment (as well as training)
was required to engage in the work.
However, the study uncovered several
driving forces that impact negatively on
home-based workers and their
enterprises.
A greater percentage of agarbatti rollers
complained of health hazards and of
larger health problems. The members
said that the use of coal powder makes
their eyes burn. Many have developed
breathing problems since they inhale the
toxic powder. In fact, some mentioned
that chronic lung conditions develop
because of this work. They said that they
have to make three to four visits to the
doctor in a month to get medicines, which
adds to expenditures. The agarbatti
makers also stated that the work created
pollution in the whole house. In addition,
having to sit in one place throughout the
day leads to body aches. And when health
is impacted, there is little opportunity for
respite. When unable to work due to
illness or other issues, the vast majority of
home-based workers in the study
indicated they had no one to take up their
work.
Systematic Exploitation by the
Manufacturers
The reason for the perpetual poverty of
beedi makers is a systematic exploitation
by beedi manufacturers. Beedi is
produced under a contract system of
piece-rate wages and the workers are
exploited by the middlemen who control
the access to raw materials and markets.
As a result, the workers are deprived of
the benefits of the statutory minimum
wage rates.
1. They counting of the beedis is
rigged. They may provide more but
less get counted
2. While distributing tendu leaves for
beedi making, it invariably
happens that the middlemen may
extort leaves and the bidi workers
have to purchase the same out of
their own pockets to fulfil the
orders
3. On the shortage of tobacco, there
is a fine which forces the maker to
purchase additional tobacco
4. The workers are also sometimes
delivery of the next batch of product. The
agarbatti rollers, in particular, reported
very low wages, ranging from 12-15
rupees per 1,000 sticks. For an eight-hour
work day, they can make a meagre
turnover of about 36 to 105 rupees per
day.
Home-based beedi and agarbatti rollers
are part of larger value chains. The goods
they return to traders and contractors
move along the chains to be packaged
and sold; a small percentage are even
exported.

required to pay for the thread

consumed

Most workers claimed they were not
getting fair wages but contractors and
traders were making good profits due to

home-based workers labors. Even though
the rate/piece keeps going up, they also
reported that they cannot bargain for
higher rates as the contractor will
threaten to stop giving them work. Worse,

some home-based workers said they are
not always paid upon delivery of the
products or are paid only half of what
they are owed, with the other half tied to

5


to provide funds for diseases requiring
Recommendations
hospitalization. Further, the procedures
Policies to improve the lives and to avail of benefits under the various

livelihoods of home-based workers must government welfare schemes should be

take multiple forms and occur at multiple simplified and translated into local

levels. colloquial languages.

Key Institutional Reforms 5. Minimum Wages/Piece Rates The

state governments Labour Welfare
1. Identity Cards Because home based
Department is responsible for setting and
workers are isolated, scattered and lack
monitoring minimum wage rates.
identity as workers, they should be given
Home-based trades should be included in
identity cards.
the Minimum Wages Act, and the

2. Organization & Representation minimum wage rates should be adjusted

Membership-based organizations of to the piece rate system by which most

home-based workers, both associations sub-contracted home-based workers are

and trade unions, should be promoted, paid. To decide the minimum wages for

recognized and invited to participate in occupations/trades in the informal

relevant policy-making and rule-setting economy, the State Minimum Wages

processes. Advisory Committee/Board should

3. Social Protection - The Social Security
Board, which is expected to provide
health benefits, retirement pensions and
maternity benefits, should devise a
mechanism to register all informal
include representatives of the
unions/associations and
employers/contractors of informal
workers.
6. Skills Training Skill training through

workers, including home-based workers. the industry-specific Welfare Boards

It should seek the help of should be expanded and should include

membership-based organizations of continuing education, so that informal

informal workers, such as SEWA, to workers, especially women, are better

register workers with the Board. able to bargain for favourable piece rates
with the traders and/or contractors.
4. All home-based workers should be
registered in this programme to be able

References

Renana Jhabvala, Neelam Gupta,

Neeta Mishra (2000)
S.K. Das (2000) citing survey data
conducted by the Labour Bureau
of the Ministry of Labour, in 1995
Ministry of Labour, Annual Report
1999-2000, page 109
200 figures, based on IMRB Report
(2006) Cigarette and Beedi
Industry - A Comparative Status
Opportunities and Challenges in
Tobacco, a study by Anindya Sen,
Dr.Subrata Sarkar, Dr.Ajit Ranade,
for Tobacco Institute of India, New
Delhi
Report by Mr. S.K. Das, DG, Labour
Welfare, Ministry of Labour, report
prepared for ILO, October 2000