Production of reserved handloom items in powerlooms to invite penalties

The Erode district administration has warned that manufacturing handloom-reserved products on powerlooms would attract penal action under the amended provisions of the Handloom Reservation Act.

In a press release, Collector V. Kandasamy said the district, a major textile hub, has an Enforcement Wing office at Surampatti to ensure implementation of the Act, which seeks to protect the handloom sector and the livelihoods of weavers. Eleven categories of products, including cotton and silk sarees with border designs, dhotis, towels, lungis, bed sheets, dress materials, jamakkalams, blankets, shawls, and woollen tweeds, have been reserved exclusively for handloom production. Their manufacture on powerlooms is an offence under the Act.

The Enforcement Wing conducts inspections through a monitoring committee to detect violations. Cases identified during inspections would be reported to the police and pursued through the courts. The Collector said that under the Jan Vishwas (Amendment of Provisions) Act, 2026, offenders are liable to imprisonment for up to three months, a fine of ₹10,000 per loom, or both.

For details on products reserved for handloom production, the public may contact the Enforcement Wing office in Erode at 0424-2275142, he added.