Business community, belonging to pottery industry, has appealed to the government to take immediate steps for the survival of the industry and bringing it out from multifarious problems.
Pasrur Tehsil of Sialkot district that was famous for producing pottery, is now taking its last breath because many units have been closed due to lack of incentives, government support and un-resolved problems being faced by the industry since long.
The tehsil is eminent for producing clay made cooking pots like "handya" (cauldron), which is still being used for cooking in big hotels and restaurants in the country. The traditional pottery industry of Pasrur is famous and hundred years old industry of the area but its advancement and growth has become stagnant due to lack of proper attention of concerned departments.
Most of the people, engaged with pottery, had left their original business and migrated other countries in connection with the employment resultantly this industry was at its lowest ebb.
The owners of the small pottery industries were confronting with serious problems as a result of which they were considering closing their units.
It was observed that there was a great need of establishment of "Mini Industrial Estate" in historic city (Pasrur) and provision of all basic facilities under one roof should be ensured to the local businessmen engaged with other industries. Besides, special steps should also be taken for moulding the pottery industry on modern and scientific lines because at present most of small pottery units were working with the traditional techniques.
Most of the industrial units were functioning on roadsides and producing the cooking utensils and decoration pieces with great skill and dexterity. There is a great need of conducting survey for ascertaining the needs and requirements of industries the survey would be much supportive to unearth the hidden industries functioning in Pasrur tehsil.
The concerned government departments should formulate a special programme for the development old industries and under the programme soft loan facilities should be given small businessmen enabling them to modernise their workplaces as well as bringing them out economic constrains. The timely action of the Punjab government would not only prevent the pottery industry functioning in remote rural and backward areas, but also help in modernisation of the industries as well as improve the economic conditions of the artisans.
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