COVID-19: Long, dangerous walk home for migrant workers
| Date :29-Mar-2020 |
Labourers walking down Adivasi Shaheed Gowari Flyover on Saturday evening. Such small groups of labourers pass through Nagpur city daily. Mostly they come from Butibori and head towards Kamptee, from where they proceed towards Seoni or Balaghat districts in MP. (Pic by Satish Raut)
By Kartik Lokhande :
MONTHS ago, their search for employment forced them to leave their native place in adjoining state of Madhya Pradesh (MP) and migrate to Nagpur district. In the past few days of nation-wide lockdown due to COVID-19 outbreak, now, they are in search again... this time, for some mode of transport to reach their native place. In absence of transport, many have started walking down in small groups for their home that is miles away.
Same thing is happening across the country and Nagpur district is no exception. Most of the labour force engaged in construction sector in Nagpur comes from adjoining states of Madhya Pradesh and Chhattisgarh. In the past few days, some left for their native place. And, everyday, one can see groups walking from Butibori and Hingna industrial areas, and even from some construction sites in the city, towards Kamptee so that they can cross the inter-State border and enter Seoni and then proceed towards Balaghat. Ramesh Bisen, a resident of Changotola in Balaghat district, was part of a small group of 10 labourers heading towards Kamptee. “What should we do but go back to our native place? Because of lockdown, all construction activities have stopped.
There is uncertainty about lockdown period. If lockdown remains for three months as is being widely predicted, how can we sustain at a place far away from our home?,” he wondered. All the labourers including him had covered their faces because of coronavirus scare, and were carrying their clothes, food, and water bottle in bags on their back. Nilesh Bopche, also a resident of Balaghat district, was sweating. For, he and others in the group had reached Sitabuldi after walking down from Butibori. “We will go to Kamptee, then Seoni, and finally reach Balaghat.
No other option is available to us but walking down...,” he said. Though the labourers are heading home, uncertainty looms large about their future contract. Vinod Brahme said that the labour contractor who had employed them had assured to take them back on work once ‘this phase is over’. However, for now, the contractor is not much able to help as his payment also has stopped. Prem Kurbeti, a resident of Seoni and a labourer employed on a construction site in Butibori, brought to notice another angle of the plight of these labourers. He said that the labour contractor who had employed him and others, had asked them to stay at the site till April 14.
“However, no one is sure that the lockdown will not be extended beyond April 14. So, if we come to know about extension of lockdown around April 14, we will have exhausted all our savings by then. So, it is better if we start early and go home,” he added. His contractor offered Rs 500/- a week to him and other labourers in the group if they chose to stay back in Butibori. It is a meagre amount to sustain for a week, given the prices of vegetables, foodgrains, and essential commodities.
Only the labourers working on sites in industrial areas are not in trouble, but those working at various construction sites in Nagpur city also are in a fix. Lokesh Mandhare and Sukhdeo Tumsare, both residents of Chhoti Kochwi in Balaghat district, work at a site in the heart of the city. Both are young. “We are staying at the site. But, our parents and siblings are concerned about us. They are calling us home everyday. During our telephonic conversation, they are asking us to find some mode of transport,” said Mandhare. Some more labourers who ‘The Hitavada’ tried talking to were afraid to reveal their names. They felt that the police would take action against them. Mustering some courage but not revealing his name, one of them said, “The Government should conduct a survey of how many labourers are stuck up in the district, and arrange for bus or some transport and food and water for us to help us reach our native places.”
‘Collectors asked to provide food, shelter to migrating labourers’ Bhagat Singh Koshyari, Governor of Maharashtra, spoke to all six Divisional Commissioners in Maharashtra on Saturday and sought information about the incidence of COVID-19 and exodus of people in various districts. Dr Sanjeev Kumar, Divisional Commissioner of Nagpur, told ‘The Hitavada’ that after the Governor’s meeting, he had conducted a video-conferencing with District Collectors and Superintendents of Police of all six districts in Nagpur Division. “I have asked them to make arrangements for food, shelter, water, and medicines for these people and the stop them at the check-posts. We are there for these people,” he said. Asked about the element of fear among labourers about widely predicted extension of lockdown, he said that for now the lockdown was up to April 14 only. People should not panic but extend co-operation to the administration in handling the situation effectively, he added.