From weed to wealth

In rural areas, women hardly have any control and accessibility to cash. A little cash in hand enhances their self-esteem. “And if they have earned it themselves, they feel empowered,” says Baljit Singh, the community organizer with the department. The craft of making artefacts from water hyacinth travelled to Harike for the first time from coastal Kerala with Atma Singh, a beldar with wildlife department. He was sent by the wildlife department for training in 2013. The purpose was to find use for weed which threatened to kill the wetland. For years, with support from officials, Singh imparted training to local women to make artefacts. “The truth is nobody is going to come to Churian and buy these goods. These have to be marketed. These women cannot do it on their own,” he says, adding that  he had gone to to Jalandhar for a three-day sale-cum-exhibition, but had to return earlier as all items were sold the same day. Singh says a good market is needed to sustain the effort. A similar initiative to make artefacts from water hyacinth is also underway at Keshopur Chamb. “But the length of water hyacinth in Harike is better than Keshopur Chamb which makes it better for making artefacts,” says Atma Singh. While Atma Singh and women from Churian are concerned about the next order, KL Malhotra, forest conservation specialist with Punjab Heritage and Tourism Promotion Board, is confident. “We have prepared a catalogue of items being crafted by these women. Shortly we would also launch a website to promote the craft,” says Malhotra. He says there are plans to supply slippers made from the weed to hotels. “Many hotels have started using cloth ‘chappals’ in hotel rooms. If we are able to convince them to use our eco-friendly slippers, there would be a lot of work for these women and we would have to train more hands,” he said. Malhotra says 16 people are trained for Assam; they are now training others. A popular craft in north-eastern states and coastal Kerala, the artisans in these areas are skilled to even make furniture items using the weed. Water hyacinth

It is scientifically known as eichhornia crassipes and called ‘Kalali’ in local parlance. It is one of the fastest growing weeds but it has no use for local population; it is either used as fodder or fuel. Apart from obstructing the water flow, it is also threatens the aquatic life as it blocks the sunlight from reaching down to aquatic plants and starving the water of dissolved oxygen, which leads to death of aquatic life. In handicraft industry due to its soft petiole and spongy natural fibre with great affinity to basic colours and natural dies, it can be put to wider use. A highly invasive species with its origin in Brazil, it is believed first to be brought to West Bengal by a British woman as an ornamental plant. About Harike

It lies at the confluence of Satluj and Beas. The sanctuary (also known as Hari-ke-pattan) is spread over 86 sq km in three districts — Amritsar, Tarn Taran and Ferozpur. With thousands of migratory birds coming here every winter, the wetland also shelters Indus Dolphins and Seven Star Turtle. As per official records, the wetland has so far recorded 242 species of migratory birds visiting the area in a year. The number of species has decreased drastically in the last two decades due to environmental degradation, poaching and encroachments.