Oldest in the trade of framing people

Explaining the manufacturing procedure, he says that they import the raw material — cellulus acetate sheets or plastic sheets and hinges — and make the spectacle frames by hand. Manual labour set aside their products from the others, he says.

According to Najmuddin, the glory days of the industry were between 1992-95. when 120 units manufactured 40,000 pieces daily. “But liberalisation and globalisation have directly affected the industry”, he regrets, adding that three-shifts had now made way for one today.

“There is no way we can face the competition posed by Taiwan and China and the like”, says Najmuddin. “While our prices are between Rs 20 and Rs 500, these countries sell their frames for between Rs 20 and Rs 100.”The reimposition of sales tax, ranging between four and 13 per cent, in the State further worsened the situation, he alleges, adding that the excise duty on SSIs would further cripple the industry.

Najmuddin says all efforts to represent the problem before the State and Central governments have proved futile.

Going back to rosier times, Fida Adam Chasmawala, now 85, recalls that when he used to work with his father, Adamji, in his shop, spectacle frames were largely imported from England and Germany. Though Maharaja Sayajirao encouraged the spectacle trade by providing manufacturers free land, port and godown facilities and tax holidays, entrepreneurs in those days could not make the best of it, he says, pointing out that they were, by and large, illiterate.