Gopal Sharma
JAMMU, Apr 9: Amidst countrywide lockdown, over 500 labourers, mostly hailing from Bihar, Uttar Pradesh, Chhattisgarh and Odisha and engaged in handling of goods at Jammu Railway Station for the last many years were at the verge of starvation.
Reports said that Coronavirus threat has led to countrywide lockdown. Not only public or private transport, the air and train services have also been stalled. At present about 500 labourers mostly from outside J&K are engaged at the Jammu Railway Station for handling of goods. They await any assistance from the Government at this crucial time.
Now since, the train services are not functioning and hardly a few goods trains with food grains and little oil supply are reaching here these days, majority of the labourers have gone idle. For the last two weeks they are not getting any assistance from the J&K UT administration or the Railway authorities. These hapless workers have been facing starvation.
Some of the workers approached the Excelsior and revealed their tale of woes. Subhash Kumar from Odisha said there are about 500 workers putting up in slum areas near Jammu Railway Station and they have been engaged as contract labourers for handling of train goods. He added that many of them have their families living here with them. “Now, since the train services have been stalled, many workers have gone idle. Hardly a few trains, with FCI goods arrive at the Station. Majority of the workers are sitting idle,” he revealed
Two more workers, Babu Ram from Odisha and Balram from Chhattisgarh said once the contractor provided 2 kg rice to each family about week back. They were consumed. From Government side or the Northern Railways,no help has been provided to them. They said many of the workers want to go back to their homes in their respective States but no body helps them.
One Nagraj from UP revealed that most of the workers are in service to the Railways at Jammu station for the last 15 to 20 years. They have been residing here at rented accommodation or in the slums near Jammu Railway Station. They are paid Rs 2 per bag of foodgrain or cement and earn hardly Rs 200 to Rs 250 per day and feed their families. When there is no work, the workers are facing penury. If the J&K Government or Railways authorities are not able to help them, they must make arrangements of sending them to their homes. Nagraj said they are not allowed to move out of the Station area and many of them were beaten up by cops for violation of lockdown. “Therefore, we remain confined to the area. No NGO or Government agency has ever reached us,” he added.
Station Superintendent of Jammu Railway Station, Rajiv Sabharwal, when contacted, said these labourers do not come under their jurisdiction. The FCI goods loaded trains are arriving here these days and they have their own labourers. If they have been engaged through contractors, then it will be the responsibility of the contractors, he said, adding train services have been suspended and only goods trains with FCI foodgrains or oil/ fuel etc are arriving under essential supplies, the number of workers has been reduced due to less work.
Sub Divisional Magistrate, Jammu South, Srikant BS when contacted said he has not received any request of assistance from FCI or Railways authorities at Jammu. Even, no NGO of official at personal level approached his office or Tehsildar concerned. He said he will send his team to the area tomorrow and the administration will provide them every possible help. The SDM requested to share the contact number of the labourers who came into the contact of Excelsior, which was done.
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