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Migrant workers in J&K urge government to run special trains to send them home
Migrant workers from Madhya Pradesh, Chattisgarh, Bihar, Uttar Pradesh and Odisha, who are largely into construction and allied sectors migrated to the Union territory for a living.
Terming the lockdown as the ‘toughest phase of their impoverished lives’, migrant workers in Jammu and Kashmir urged the government to run special trains to send them back to their home districts.
Migrant workers from Madhya Pradesh, Chattisgarh, Bihar, Uttar Pradesh and Odisha, who are largely into construction and allied sectors migrated to the Union territory for a living.
On Labour Day, the lockdown entered 41st day.
“We are facing immense hardships due to the lockdown since construction activities have not started. As a result, we are deprived of our daily earnings,” said Krishan Lal, a migrant worker from Bilaspur in Chattisgarh.
“Around 20 days ago, a few officials had distributed ration to us and afterward did not bother to enquire about us,” said Babita, Lal’s wife.
Another labourer Raju said, “We are neither getting dry ration nor any work. And, we cannot go back to our homes. We request the government to send us back.”
Raju said that the government should run special trains to send stranded migrant workers back to their homes. “Though the government is trying to help us by providing dry ration and ₹1,000 a month, it is not sufficient to sustain this lockdown. This is the toughest phase of our lives,” he added.
An official said that the government was trying to help the migrant workers with dry ration but there was a huge demand.
“Even the first phase has not completed yet as they are a scattered population but we are still trying to reach out to them,” he said.
On Thursday, Jammu and Kashmir lieutenant governor approved a relief package of ₹350 crore for people affected by the Covid-19 pandemic and lockdown that included construction workers.
