A job that is washed away

With the usage of home appliances, like washing machine, on an unabated increase, thousands of Washer-men in Chennai have been rendered out of jobs. And with no conventional type jobs at hand, now they are looking for bulk orders from hospital and hotels.

There are 14 Dhobi-khanas, the area built for washing clothes by washermen. They were built in the british period. In 1902, a Dhobi-khana was built in chetpet, Chennai. It was inaugurated by Sir George Moore, then Mayor of Chennai.

Now, Chetpet dhobi-khana is the biggest one in the city and also very old. Built at 10 acre area, every day a thousand workers strive here to make eke out a living. ''Before 90`s washing machine users were upper middle class people. Now washing machines are available in cheapest prices. Every urban household is having one. So none gives their clothes for washing. They give it mostly for ironing purpose only. If this condition continues, we have to switch over to other works," says Selvaraj, a washermen.

V. Ramachandran, president of chennai Rajaka Yuvajana Sangh, a washermen association  told TSI: "price of soap, soap powder, and soap oil is very high. It affects our work. As we don't receive good work, many workers of our dhobi-khana have gone to building construction works. Old men are going for working as security  guards".

Ramachandran lists out the previleges he needs from the government for the survival of Dhobi-khanas. "We pay rupees 7.50 per unit of electricity. As the government gives free power to the farmers, we also need free power. Washermen were listed under most backward community. We want Scheduled Caste status for us so that our children get good oppurtunities in the studies and jobs".

Ramachandran says that in chennai alone more than ten thousand washermen are working in different Dhobi-khanas. This traditional industry that survives on cleaning the dirt of our clothings, is fighting for the survival.