Four-storeyed buildings with a big hall for the artisans to make their idols in hygienic conditions. Clean and broad roads with proper lights. A huge art gallery for projecting the craft work of the artisans. A school for the children of the artisans inside the complex. A well-maintained reservoir for storing drinking water.

All these features were mentioned in the blueprint of the Kumartuli remodeling project mooted by Chief Minister Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee in 2005. Four years have passed since then and the artisans of Kumartuli still brave the leaky roofs, waterlogged streets, dingy lanes and unhygienic conditions.

Before the parliamentary elections in February 2009, Bhattacharjee had launched the Kumartuli rejuvenation project. He announced that the artisans will make idols at the temporary rehabilitation in 2009 and in 2010, they will have their own place in the remodeled Kumartuli.

Despite the promises, the artisans are still making idols in worst conditions. They suffered losses of Rs 4,000-6,000 in each idol as the soils and colours got washed away in heavy downpour. The artisans still don’t have a solid roof - even a temporary one — under which they can preserve the idols from heavy shower and storm.

“We have seen that the work for constructing the temporary rehabilitation for the artisans has started a few days ago. We do not expect to be shifted there before December,” said Babu Pal, general secretary, Kumartuli Mritsilpi Sanskiti Samity.

“We have been told that in the first phase around 200 out of the 400 artisans will be shifted to temporary dwelling units. But we are yet to get anything in writing about the shifting or about the plan based on which the Kolkata Metropolitan Development Authority (KMDA) is going to the construct the new potter’s town. We have told the KMDA authorities that until we receive any document, we will not leave this place,” said Pal.

... contd.