Even as the government was making tall claims over shifting of migrant labourers, troubles of workers stranded in Andhra Pradesh were continuing.
Thousands of migrant labourers, who have been waiting in shelter homes since ‘Janata Curfew’ and the subsequent lockdown, were staging protests demanding that they be sent back to their home States.
“The government is asking us to pay ₹150 to ₹300 per head for providing transportation in Shramik special trains. Many of us cannot pay for the journey. What will be their fate?” Nanavath Ramulu, a labourer, questioned.
According to sources, more than 50,000 labourers migrated to AP to take up rabi harvesting operations.
Besides, many workers from Odisha, West Bengal, Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, Maharashtra, Rajasthan, Tamil Nadu, Telangana, Jharkhand and Chhattisgarh arrived to work in aqua and spinning units, brick kilns, sand reaches, catering companies, construction sites and other sectors.
Many of the labourers started on foot to their native states and a few have reportedly died en route. Several workers were stranded in different places and suffering due to lack of money, food and shelter.
The Centre, which stopped public transportation to prevent the spread of COVID-19, asked the States on April 29 to allow transportation of stranded students, labourers and tourists and directed them to make necessary arrangements.
Departments clueless
“Though the Centre directed the States to provide facilities for labourers, no arrangements have been made. We don’t have mobile phones and money to enrol with the officers,” says a group of labourers who got stuck in Jaggaiahpet of Krishna district.
Interestingly, the Industries, Labour, Revenue and Factories departments did not have any data on migrant labourers.
“We made many attempts to travel to our native place, but the police stopped us and the locals did not offer us food or water due to fear on COVID. Many families, including pregnant women and children, are suffering a lot due to the lockdown and poor planning of the officials,” said Kishan Singh, a migrant labourer .
A couple of days ago, 1,500 labourers working in cement factories at Darsivarappadu Thanda in Jaggaiahpet in Krishna district, staged a dharna demanding that they be sent back.
Police resorted to a lathi-charge when about 2,000 labourers of Uttar Pradesh, Bihar and Jharkhand staged a protest and started trekking at Kovvur in West Godavari district on Monday.
Officials said many migrants were stranded in Krishna, West Godavari, Guntur and other districts and efforts were on to arrange special trains for them.
