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Rohtak shelters have become second home, say migrant workers
At present, 520 people, including migrant workers, are staying at the nine shelter homes in Rohtak.
Migrant workers taking refuge at shelters in Rohtak amid the lockdown say they are comfortable and the shelters have become their second homes.
At present, 520 people, including migrant workers, are staying at the nine shelter homes in Rohtak.
Razban, a cotton mill labourer from Uttar Pradesh’s Bareilly, says, “We get timely meals three times a day. The shelter has become our second home.”
However, worried about the economic fallout of the lockdown, he says, “We don’t have money and our family members in the village are running out of cash, too. The government should provide us work in crop procurement at the earliest.”
While appreciative of the efforts of the district administration and NGOs, Man Singh, a manual labourer from Rajasthan’s Nagor said that he felt the government had ignored them and had not drafted any plan to ensure their families’ survival before implementing the nationwide lockdown: “I am getting food here but my family of six in Nagor is struggling. They are unable to have two square meals. I am the sole breadwinner in my family. I don’t know how long the lockdown will continue. How shall we survive?”
Raju, a construction worker from Bihar, says he had boarded a bus from Narnaul to go Delhi but was stranded in Rohtak due to the lockdown: “The government should have ensured that we were sent home, before issuing the lockdown,” he said.
Washrooms not up to the mark, say women
However, a group of women staying in another shelter on Bhiwani-Rohtak road say they were not satisfied with the facilities at the shelter homes. “The condition of washrooms is not up to the mark. The government should arrange for us to go to our homes because we cannot live in shelter homes for any linger,” they said.
Rohtak deputy commissioner RS Verma said 45 shelter homes had been established in Rohtak to accommodate 14,694 people.
“The 520 migrant labourers have been provided accommodation and food facility. A team of doctors also visits regularly to enquire after their health. The people living in shelter homes are maintaining social distancing. These homes are operated by the administration in collaboration with some NGOs and social organisations,” Verma said.
