Geetanjali Krishna: A paper tiger

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Do you know "" the first time I went to Kalpi about eight years ago, I travelled by cockroach?" my friend, a paper exporter, said laughingly. Then she explained that in local lingo, cockroaches were three-wheeler vehicles, also and equally inexplicably known as Vikrams.

"The bus service was irregular, and cabs from Kanpur, the nearest big town, cost Rs 4,000 to Kalpi "" so it seemed as if everyone and his goat wanted to travel by cockroach. The seats got so crowded, that I sat on top of its roof, while the man who was taking me around, hung out of the back by just his fingers!"

Kalpi has, historically been a centre of handmade paper manufacturing. Munnalal 'Khaddari', a Gandhian, formally introduced the craft here in the forties, though many locals say that Kalpi's association with papermaking dates further back into history.

Initially, fishermen on the Ganges here made paper out of old fishing nets, which had turned into a pulp like, semi solid state after years of soaking and drying out in the hot sun.

However, as my friend and other handmade paper exporters who need to visit Kalpi to get speciality papers made, have discovered to their detriment, this little town has little infrastructure conducive to industrial growth.

"In fact, Kalpi's development into one of India's leading paper manufacturing centers, has been in spite of bad transport, erratic power supply, and poor communication facilities," said my friend.

Its power supply, Kalpi-based manufacturers say, is like it is in the rest of rural UP"" abysmal. In the absence of power, paper manufacturing virtually comes to a halt as the electrically powered pulping machines don't work.

"Although most manufacturers have small generators, they aren't big enough to power those machines," said my friend. And paper manufacturing, being a cottage industry, does not generate enough money for these manufacturers to afford larger generators.

Last week, her contact in Kalpi said, about forty brawny Kalpi locals gheraoed the electricity officials and made them sit in the ignominious murga position, in punishment for a scorching three day power cut.

"It has thrown all our schedules out of kilter," she lamented, "specially when we've been working overtime to complete orders before the rains set in "" after which drying paper becomes difficult."

"Now, most people have cellphones, so at least communication is not tough "" but in the era before cell phones, it was near impossible to get through on land lines!" said my friend, talking about the telecom facilities in Kalpi. "Even so, my paper manufacturer owns one of four fax machines in the town, and even now, watching a fax arrive, generates a lot of local excitement."

However, one problem with dealing with Kalpi-based paper manufacturers has nothing to do with infrastructure "" their laidback work ethic. My paper exporter friend in Delhi told me of the time when she tried to place a big order with a paper manufacturer in Kalpi on Tuesday "" but because he was praying and fasting, he didn't take her call.

On Wednesday, he was at a marriage, and on Thursday he was arbitrating a village dispute. He had to appear in court on Friday "" so the earliest she could talk to him was Saturday "" which villagers believe is not an auspicious day to start anything new "" but the man was 'modern' enough to let that pass.

"One can't help but compare Kalpi with Sanganer, Rajasthan "" another paper manufacturing hub, which has much better infrastructure and more professional manufacturers. The way Kalpi is going, few people are going to want to do business there," she concluded regretfully.