Desperate to go home, UP workers attempt journey on foot
Nishikant Khajuria
JAMMU, May 4: Amidst reports that a number of migrant labourers are desperate for return to their homes in view of the prevailing lockdown because of COVID-19 and even mulling journey on foot, the Jammu and Kashmir Union Territory Administration has started working out strategy for safe transportation of these workers to their native States .
Official sources told the Excelsior that following the Union Home Ministry’s decision of allowing inter-State/UT movement of stranded people and the migrant labourers, the UT Administration is devising a strategy in this regard and collecting data of such workers besides their route plan.
For the purpose, sources added, the Sub-Divisional Magistrates have been directed to collect the relevant data of such migrant labourers in their respective jurisdiction and submit the same to the District Administration in the next two-three days for further action.
The details of such migrant labourers, who want to go back to their native places , will be shared with the Nodal Officers of the respective States or Union Territories for chalking our modalities and safe transportation of these people, sources elaborated.
Besides collecting data on the number of such persons and mode of transportation required for their return to native States, sources further said that the SDMs have also been entrusted the responsibility to ensure that these migrant labourers may not feel scary of the prevailing situation and the same should not be the reason for their return to homes.
Pertinent to mention that the Union Ministry of Home Affairs on last Wednesday had allowed movement of migrant workers, pilgrims, tourists, students and other persons stranded at different places across the country due to lockdown under a Standard Operating Procedure (SOP).
According to the official sources, there are more than one lakh migrant labourers besides brick kiln workers in Jammu division and majority of them, approximately 75 thousands, are presently staying in Jammu district. These migrant labourers are facing hardships and a number of them are virtually at the verge of starvation because of the ongoing lockdown since March 24.
The desperation among these migrant labourers can be gauged from the fact that a group of them, hailing from Uttar Pradesh, started walking to their native villages from here on Monday, prompting the local administration to intervene which sent them back to their rented accommodations near GGM Science College area.
These labourers, around six dozens in number and moving in three separate groups, were stopped by police at Trikuta Nagar locality after covering a distance of a few kilometers from their places of stay.
“The migrant labourers on their own decided to return to their home on foot which is an impossible task. We asked them to stay at their places and assured adequate ration to them till arrangements are put in place for their evacuation to their home States,” said Additional Deputy Commissioner, Jammu, Tahir Firdous, who personally visited the scene and interacted with the labourers.
According to these migrant labourers, desperation led them to take the extreme step as there seems to be no end to the ongoing lockdown. “We are staying idle at our shared rented rooms of 12X12 for the last 40 days and are facing a lot of problems like arranging daily meals. Our survival is at stake,” they said and alleged that the Government earlier provided them 10 kgs rice and wheat, but nothing was provided after that. “We cannot survive like this and decided to walk the distance to our homes,” they added.
Most of these labourers were from Kolhapur in Uttar Pradesh. One of them, namely Ramesh, said they are running short of food items and have exhausted their money. “Rs 2,000 were transferred to my account by the Central Government and a ration kit was also provided. Do you think this is enough for 50 days? The lockdown is being extended and who knows when things will resume to normal,” he lamented.
Another labourer claimed that no relief from the Government came his way. “I was earning Rs 300 to Rs 350 daily and carrying on with life, but over the past one-and-a-half month, I have got no work. I request the Government to make necessary arrangements for our early departure to our native places,” he said.
Reports from Samba also said that around one hundred migrant labourers marched to Deputy Commissioner’s office from Bari Brahmana seeking their return to home in native places. These migrant labourers, including women and their children, staged a sit-in for their demand following which the District administration assured them safe return with proper registration and facilitating transportation.
According to Deputy Commission Samba, Rohit Khajuria, the district administration has started registration of such migrant labourers who want to go back to their native States. For the purpose, he added, special Registration Counters are being established at Bari Brahmana, Vijaypur , Samba and other places so that these migrant labourers may not face difficulty for the same even as the District Administration is also ensuring adequate supply of ration to these people.
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