Extension of lockdown may create more panic among migrant labourers
| Date :12-Apr-2020 |
Staff Reporter :
RAIPUR,
Migrant labourers stuck in various states are hopeful that they may get a safe passage to their home state after the lockdown period ends on April 14. Even if the Government of India extend the lockdown period beyond this date the government may work out a plan for the safe travel of these stranded labourers to their home district to avoid panicking. Several migrant labourers of Chhattisgarh, who have been stuck in different states during the lockdown are disappointed and perturbed when the news is pouring that Government of India is planning to extend lockdown period from April 14.
It may be mentioned that hundreds of labourers from Chhattisgarh have been stuck in Maharashtra, Andhra Pradesh, Jammu and Kashmir, Gujarat, Uttar Pradesh and other states in the lockdown. The lockdown has badly hit the life of the migrant labourers after they have lost their job due to the lockdown. Several labourers claimed that help that is being given by the local administration is not sufficient to run their livelihood. The labourers from Chhattisgarh, who have been stranded in other states, called Women and Child Development Minister Anila Bhedia and other ministers, demanding to provide help to them so that they could come back to their homes.
Even some stranded labourers of State wrote letters to Chief Minister Bhupesh Baghel and sought help from him to arrange facility so that they could get back home. Some stranded labourers of State, who have been stuck in Surat and other places, released videos on social media and sought help from Chhattisgarh Government to provide food and arrange transportation facility. Labourer Tekram Sahu, hailing from Balod district, who has been stuck in Satara district, called Women and Child Development Minister Anila Bhedia and sought help from Chhattisgarh Government to provide some arrangements for the stranded labourers so that they could come back. Speaking to The Hitavada over telephone, Tekram Sahu said that he along with his family members have been stuck in Satara district of Maharashtra during the nationwide lockdown in the wake of coronavirus pandemic. 33-year-old Tekram Sahu said that he has been spending last 20 days in the rented house during the lockdown.
“If the lockdown is extended from April 14, it will create more panic among the migrant labourers. We are getting little ration from the local administration that is not sufficient for running livelihood. Now it is a big challenge before these labourers to run their livelihood. At last, the stranded labourers will be forced to go to their home by foot if the lockdown period is extended. Now the labourers cannot wait too long,” lamented another laboaurer Kheman Sahu of Balod district, who has also been stuck in Satara district. Sahu pointed that the Government should provide either work to the labourers or they should be allowed to go to their home. If the healthy people will be forced to live their houses for over 21 days, how the economy of the country and the individual family will survive, he pointed. Both said that they had railway reservation ticket for an express train for returning to Chhattisgarh on March 23, but suddenly train services were cancelled on March 22 and they got stuck.