The floods in Kerala, it is feared, are turning out to be a humanitarian crisis for the people of the northeastern States like Assam.
With their dwelling places inundated and unemployment and poverty staring at their face, thousands of inter-State workers have fled the State. The sudden outflux of the workforce is snowballing into an economic crisis in their families with the drying up of income sources.
A large number of workers who fled overnight were not even left with money for sustenance as they could not collect their wages or settle the wage arrears with their employers.
Most of the dwelling places of these workers were in low-lying areas. Without power, food, drinking water and job, many decided to go back. Panic calls from the families too prompted the stranded workers to leave.
The closing down of relief camps and the possible delay in the opening up of the employment sector too influenced the decision of workers, according to those working in the migrant labour sector.
Thousands have lost their jobs in the construction and plantation sectors, rice mills, fish processing units and factories.
Footloose workers were the worst-hit, said Benoy Peter, executive director, Centre for Migration and Inclusive Development, Kochi.
Special trains
Southern Railway, considering the sudden surge in the number of passengers to the north, central and northeastern States, operated as may as 10 special trains in the post-flood days besides the regular ones. Some of the States such as Assam and Odisha are meeting the travel expenses of their workers in Kerala.
One such train will leave for Bubaneswar from Ernakulam South on August 24. The journey in the train, arranged by the Odisha government, will be free.
Special trains were operated to Howrah, Bhubaneswar, Chennai and Silchar considering the huge demand for trains in the post-flood scenario, said P.L. Ashok Kumar, Senior Divisional Operations Manager, Thiruvananthapuram Railway Division.
Kripal Mazumder, Project Officer, State Disaster Management Authority, Assam, confirmed the return of the flood-hit workers.
One special train has reached Howrah where they were provided medicine, food, water and baby food. One more special train will be operated. The State government has written to Southern Railway offering to bear the travel expense of passengers, Mr. Mazumder told The Hindu .
Mr. Peter said a large number of penniless workers who left the State during the flood were starving and had to be provided food at different railway stations.
Those who had decided to stay back would now be exposed to hazardous working conditions, though they would be playing an important role in the reconstruction of Kerala, he said.
