Israeli Police Wear Made in India Uniforms, Thanks to Kerala Dressmakers
Thiruvananthapuram: Why are officers of the Israeli police force travelling all the way to a non descript town in north Kerala in frequent intervals?
Because, their elegant light-blue, long sleeve uniform shirts are being stitched at an apparel unit in Kannur, which has the glorious tradition of handloom making and textile export.
Hundreds of tailors at the Maryan Apparel Pvt Limited, operating at the industrial park at Valiyavelicham in the district, are toiling hard to get the spic and span uniforms ready for the Israel police.
They not only stitch the double-pocket shirts but also design and attach the trademark emblems on its sleeves.
The local dressmakers have been supplying nearly one lakh shirts annually to the Israeli police for the last three years.
Owned by Thodupuzha-based businessman Thomas Olickal, the company also bagged the orders for supplying uniforms for Kuwait's fire service and national guard.
If everything goes as planned, the Maryan Apparel would soon start stitching uniforms for the Philippine Army, a top company official said.
"We are supplying uniform shirts to the Israeli police- both men and women officers- for the last three years," Sijin Kumar, accounts and administration manger of the company said.
"Earlier, we used to supply trousers also. But, the order for it was bagged by a Chinese firm recently.
We hope that we will get the contract back at the earliest and discussions are going on in this regard," he said.
Launched at the state-run Kinfra Park here in 2006, the company specialises in uniforms of army men, police personnel, security officers and health service workers of various countries across the globe.
It also supplies school uniforms, dress for super market staff, doctors' coats, coveralls, corporate wears and so on.
In 2008, the apparel unit was shifted to Kannur with an objective to provide employment to local people who had become jobless due to the decline of the traditional beedi sector there.
Kumar said the Israeli officials are very particular about the quality of the material and even the minute details of the stitching and embroidery.
"They visit the stitching unit at frequent intervals to monitor the process.
Recently, they entrusted the task of monitoring with a company in Tamil Nadu and their team come here once in a month to check the quality of the work," Factory Manager, Shaneesh T V said.
The number of uniforms stitched at the unit would depend on their requirements.
Generally, it would be between 50,000-1,00,000 annually, he said.
The material for the uniform of Israel police is imported from US.
The cloth, produced at the company's own mill in Mumbai, would also be used at times.
The apparel unit that employs 850 people, majority of them women, are planning to expand its operations in the coming years.
But, the lack of sufficient trained and skilled manpower is a major cause of concern for the company authorities.
Courtesy: www.news18.com
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Another North Goa nightclub sealed; Kejriwal says corruption led to fire tragedy
Panaji (PTI): As part of a crackdown against tourist establishments violating laws and safety norms in the aftermath of the Arpora fire tragedy, Goa authorities on Saturday sealed a renowned club at Vagator and revoked the fire department NOC of another club.
Cafe CO2 Goa, located on a cliff overlooking the Arabian Sea at Vagator beach in North Goa, was sealed. The move came two days after Goya Club, also in Vagator, was shut down for alleged violations of rules.
Elsewhere, campaigning for local body polls, AAP leader Arvind Kejriwal said the fire incident at Birch by Romeo Lane nightclub at Arpora, which claimed 25 lives on December 6, happened because the BJP government in the state was corrupt.
An inspection of Cafe CO2 Goa by a state government-appointed team revealed that the establishment, with a seating capacity of 250, did not possess a no-objection certificate (NOC) of the Fire and Emergency Services Department. The club, which sits atop Ozrant Cliff, also did not have structural stability, the team found.
The Fire and Emergency Services on Saturday also revoked the NOC issued to Diaz Pool Club and Bar at Anjuna as the fire extinguishers installed in the establishment were found to be inadequate, said divisional fire officer Shripad Gawas.
A notice was issued to Nitin Wadhwa, the partner of the club, he said in the order.
Campaigning at Chimbel village near Panaji in support of his party's Zilla Panchayat election candidate, Aam Aadmi Party leader Kejriwal said the nightclub fire at Arpora happened because of the "corruption of the Pramod Sawant-led state government."
"Why this fire incident happened? I read in the newspapers that the nightclub had no occupancy certificate, no building licence, no excise licence, no construction licence or trade licence. The entire club was illegal but still it was going on," he said.
"How could it go on? Couldn't Pramod Sawant or anyone else see it? I was told that hafta (bribe) was being paid," the former Delhi chief minister said.
A person can not work without bribing officials in the coastal state, Kejriwal said, alleging that officers, MLAs and even ministers are accepting bribes.
