MINGORA, Nov 2: Over 300 silk mills have been shut down in Swat during last few years due to energy crisis and the government`s apathy and the remaining mills are also on decline, leaving hundreds of labourers jobless and many others with a meagre wages.

Mohammad Rahman, general secretary of Muttahida Labour Union, Swat, told Dawn that he had been associated with the silk industry for over 16 years. He said that the industry workers were now facing severe problems as owners were giving them meagre salaries compared with their work. He said that the mills workers were being exploited and they were forced to work extra hours.

`The injustice is that they are getting less wages for more work,` Mr Rahman said and added that he left the industry a few years ago and bought a rickshaw to earn livelihood for his family.

Mohammad Ashiq, an ex-worker of silk mills, said that he had been working in silk industry since 1983, but it proved a thank-less job. He said that the silk industry in Swat was on decline due to negligence of the government and worsening energy cri-sis. He claimed that wages of silk workers had not been increased since 1992.

Fazal Hadi, a silk mill employee atRahimabad, said that he had been working on four power looms in past and getting Rs3,000 wage per 15 days, but he was running 10 machines now for the same wage.

Habibullah, an owner of a silk mill at Rahimabad, said that the government should take steps for restoration of silk industry in Swat by providing financial assistance to the mills owners for buying latest power looms.

Fazal Wadud, an expert associated with the industry, said that due to excessive power loadshedding and other related problems a large number of labourers had quit the industry. He said that there was lack of unity among the mills owners, which was resulting in decline of the silk industry.

Mr Wadud said that owners often got entangled in competition producing silk of the same quality that in turn affected their business. He said that the owners should adopt latest ways to produce fine quality silk and boost their business.