MISCELLANEOUS OCCUPATIONS

LAUNDRY SERVICES

Modern type laundries are rarely found in villages. The business is mostly concentrated in towns. The occupation is more or less of a recent origin. In the past, in the absence of such establishments, dhobis or parits most of whom belonged to the Hindu Parit Community, used to render these services. Even in many villages the dhobis in a small number render the laundering services in person. The scope of the laundering business has in-creased considerably with the increasing urbanisation and the tendency of the people in both towns and villages to look clean and wear clean as well. The dhobis, the laundries, and those engaged exclusively in ironing are the three components serving the clientele in their own way. The increasing use of terylene garments has to some extent affected the business of laundries.

The accessories used by laundries generally consist of soda, soap, indigo, bleaching powder, coal, timber, etc. The tools and equipment of a small sized laundry comprised a table costing about Rs. 30 and an iron valued at about Rs 40. The number of irons vary depending upon the number of clientele and the fixed capital, the owner has invested. The survey revealed that the fixed capital in five small units ranged between Rs. 200 and Rs. 800. In Buldhana district, a small sized laundry charged 15 paise for ordinary washing and 30 paise for special washing, while that for ironing it charged from 10 to 15 paise depending upon the type of the dress material. The small establishments were one man establishments. However, in a few cases they used the labour of the family members.

The small units of the district earned on an average Rs. 150 per month.

Some laundries in big towns of the district undertook dry cleaning of the woollen as also the terylene clothing.

As per the 1951 Census, this occupation provided means of livelihood to 506 persons, under the category " laundries and laundry services". The 1961 Census included in this occupation laundry services rendered by organizations and individuals, including all types of cleaning, dyeing, bleaching, dry-cleaning services and the persons engaged in this occupation numbered 774 in 1961. Of these 449 were men and 325 were women.

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