Dhariwal’s famous woollen mills on verge of extinction

Historical towns are known by their proximity to some famous features. Some cities have a unique identity, due to some technological hub, rich cultural heritage or specific products. Mumbai is famous for films and for being the financial capital of the country, Surat for diamonds, Jaipur for palaces, Varanasi for temples, Kolkata for its science city, Udaipur for lakes and Amritsar for the Golden Temple. Dhariwal falls in the last category as it is known for the New Egerton Woollen mills, also called the Dhariwal Woollen Mills.

When a flower does not bloom, the environment in which it grows needs to be fixed, not the flower itself. In the case of the once world-renowned mill, the Union government failed to fix the environment. Consequently, the flower bloomed and then withered. In other words, the venture is now lying on the verge of extinction. Having a strength of 3,700 employees in its heyday, now barely 60 employees remain. They come in the morning, have tea in the nearby shops, mark their attendance and leave. The Ministry of Textiles has not paid them wages for the last one year. The machinery, 60 per cent of which had been imported, has been stolen.

When will the mill finally come under the guillotine is the question in the minds of residents. Every day, employees wait for that final communique from the ministry. Some months ago, there were rumours that it would be taken over by a renowned private company. However, the government insisted that the firm purchase both Dhariwal and Kanpur mills, both referred to as “first cousins” by the employees, in one go. The private company refused to buy both, leaving the Dhariwal mill gasping for oxygen.

With chances of a revival being almost nil, the mill is slowly dying a natural death. There have been some MPs who took up cudgels on behalf of the employees. Like Leader of Opposition Partap Sing Bajwa asking mandarins of the textiles ministry to release funds for its revival. However, ministry officials claimed they were short of funds. This obviously acted as a catalyst in further dipping the fortunes of the mill.

Incidentally, Dhariwal falls under the ambit of Bajwa’s present Assembly seat of Qadian. His best turned out to be short of getting the desired results. Officials said there was no use in pumping in money into a venture that had outlived its utility. Bajwa’s attempts to secure grants were often stalled or buried under the weight of the bureaucracy. The man had tried his best, unlike his contemporary parliamentarians from Gurdaspur seat, who rarely visited the mill. The case is that of ex-MP and actor Sunny Deol. He promised the employees the moon in the run-up to the 2019 elections, but never turned up once he got elected.

It will not be an exaggeration to say that the town was established due to the factory. People came from far and wide to work and subsequently they brought their families along with them. The result was that the town started expanding. With its expansion, it started flourishing too. It became a happening place. So much so, Gurdaspur district got to be known the world over for housing the prestigious venture.

The town grew significantly after the establishment of the Egerton Woolen Mills in 1882, with the word Egerton getting replaced by Dhariwal over a period of time. This was because a majority of the town’s population worked here. It was established by a Christian missionary Sir Alexander MacRobert. By 1904, it became well-known throughout colonial India. It had employed nearly 900 people, most of them from Gurdaspur and the adjoining district of Amritsar. A small Indian town was turned into a prominent industrial centre, known in international markets for its woollen products.

Until 1991, when it was nationalised, the factory, spread over hundreds of acres of prime land, produced the country’s best woollen clothes. The army and paramilitary forces were its prime buyers and on this the venture thrived.

The problem was that it was a government entity. Like a majority of government projects, it floundered instead of flourishing. In comparison, private mills, having sophisticated infrastructure and a disciplined work culture, came up in nearby cities and started doing well.

My Fair Lady, President and Angola were some of the brands that the factory became famous for. The world was enchanted by these varieties. The country wanted more but the mill could not keep up pace. Old timers say the mill was not just a mill, but something on which an entire district was thriving on it.

With its closure being imminent, people in Dhariwal often get emotional. “The myopic vision of the Union Government has killed the goose that laid the golden eggs. We are crippled,” said Baljeet Singh, a local resident.

When a large factory closes, the economic pain extends far beyond the unemployed workers. In Dhariwal, the surrounding businesses, schools and services suffered. Financial hardships compounded as families reduced their spendings. The town is now synonymous with a shattered community and a lost identity. For generations, the mill had been more than a workplace. It served as an anchor for communities. Its decline has triggered a crisis of identity, leaving the town’s residents feeling disconnected.

History

Dhariwal is the fifth largest town of Gurdaspur district. It has a municipal council and is 10 km from the district headquarters of Gurdaspur. Its proximity to the industrial town of Batala is also helping it to prosper economically after the closure of the Dhariwal Woollen Mills. It is situated on the banks of a branch of the Upper Bari Doab Canal.

Earlier, in the beginning of the 20th century, it was known as Kucha Dhariwal. It derives its name from a village, going by the same name, located nearby. It was a small settlement of Jat Sikhs engaged primarily in agriculture. The canal is its main source of irrigation and divides the town into two parts — old and new Dhariwal.

Civic amenities

The town’s basic amenities are archaic in nature. The water supply and sewerage pipes are decades old and need to be replaced. Residents have brought up these issues to the notice of the state government through their local MLA.

However, the ‘lack of funds’ plea is all that the residents have got. The town has some recreational facilities like parks and banquet halls, but faces challenges due to lack of parking spaces and unplanned growth. There is no sewerage treatment plant. Commercial development along the main roads had led to traffic chaos. Solid waste management is unscientific and causes pollution.

The town has a railway station located on the Pathankot-Dinanagar-Gurdaspur-Dhariwal-Batala-Amritsar railway track. Local trains do make a stopover, but long route trains do not halt. Residents say their Member of Parliament should take up this issue with the Railway Ministry.

Churches in Dhariwal

Dhariwal is known for a large number of churches it has. This is due to a history of Christian missionary activity, particularly after the establishment of the Dhariwal Woollen Mills. More recently, the growth of Christianity among the local Dalit community is because they find a sense of equality and support in these churches. The presence of these churches signifies a growing Christian population and conversion from other religions to Christianity. Some of these churches offer faith healing and other social support services.