Boat makers prepare for monsoon demand

KANPUR: Though monsoon is yet to arrive, Krishna Nishad is busy carving out parts of 10-seater rowing boat at Sarsaiyya Ghat. He is a boat-maker. People of his ilk live amidst dingy lanes of the ghat and make boats that do not require welding techniques.
“Boat making is our ancestral business. We have been doing this for ages. The boats that we make act as saviours of people living on river’s banks during flood-like situation created by monsoon,” he said adding that his brethren have already started preparing for monsoon.
As many as 40 families, closely related to each other, live near the ghat and make their living out of boat-making. A daily toil of 10 hours helps them earn Rs 5,000- Rs 8,000 per month. Their boats – made of iron sheet and wood – are purchased by people living in and around the city.
“Last year we supplied boats to flood-stricken people in Bangarmau. Monsoon creates flood-like situation in Katri village. Water enters into houses of people living near the river. Because of high water level of Ganga, people use boats to cross the river. Therefore, as a precautionary measures, locals buy boats in advance. Though the demand increases during the monsoon, we only earn Rs 5,000 to Rs 8,000 a month. We lack a shop or a showroom to showcase our product,” said Nishad hoping that someday the administration would wake up to their needs.
“We sell around 150 boats in a year to villagers across the state. But what we earn is merely peanuts. We consider our business as more of a charity work,” said another craftsman.
The boat makers use babul wood to prepare boat’s frame. The wood is easily available and has a life span of three years. Boat’s body is made of steel held together without welding. Nishad said that their boat was lightweight and better than the wood boat of Varanasi.
“The boat made of iron sheets is lighter and can travel at a speed of 3kms/hour. The wooden boats made in Varanasi have a speed of 1km/hour. The weight of our 10-seater boat is 35 quintals. We don’t weld the iron sheets, instead we assemble them with the help of ‘damar’ to reduce the cost,” he said.
Another craftsman Pradeep said that farmers and fish-catchers were their main customers and added that sometimes they receive orders from PAC and police party too.