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Concerns raised after 13 Bidar daily wagers killed in accidents on NH-65 in last 4 years
BIDAR For families in Bidar South, travelling to Telangana for daily wage work has become a risky necessity
BIDAR For families in Bidar South, travelling to Telangana for daily wage work has become a risky necessity. In four years, 13 migrant workers from the constituency have died in accidents on National Highway 65 when returning home. Twelve of them were women.
The latest tragedy occurred on Tuesday night, when an autorickshaw carrying 12 workers from Rajgira village was hit by a speeding tanker near Zahirabad in Telangana. Six people died at the spot.
The accident has revived questions about why workers are travelling to neighbouring states when employment programmes are meant to provide work closer to home. Villagers say a lack of regular local employment is forcing people to migrate.
The previous major accident occurred on November 4, 2022, when seven labourers from Udumanalli village were killed in a collision between an autorickshaw and a lorry near Bemalkheda. They too were returning from Telangana after working there.
Officials and villagers said the victims came from extremely poor families, with several being the sole earners in their households. “Three families are in critical condition now. In some homes, parents have already died. The children are now orphans. Who will feed them?” a local resident said.
Rural development, panchayat raj and district in-charge minister Eshwar Khandre said villagers had been travelling to other states for work for several years. “It is the responsibility of our officials to create employment opportunities locally,” Khandre told Hindustan Times.
Under VB-GRAM G, the government currently provides ₹382 in wages, he said, while workers can earn ₹500 to ₹800 elsewhere. “A request has also been made to the Central government to increase the wages. The government should give its approval,” Khandre said.
He said the government would create awareness about the issue and reiterated that employment should be provided at the panchayat level.
“We will create awareness among the people about this issue. I have spoken with the government regarding this matter. It is the responsibility of the officials to create employment opportunities at the panchayat level,” he said.
Former minister and former Bidar South MLA Bandeppa Kashempur said he had raised the issue in the legislature after the 2022 accident and sought more employment under VB-GRAM G. “I had demanded that people from our constituency should be given work here under VB-GRAM G - Viksit Bharat Guarantee for Rozgar and Ajeevika Mission Gramin. At that time the government was giving 100 days, I demanded 150 days. The government then increased it to 125 days,” Kashempur said.
He said drought had left rural families struggling and called for more employment opportunities in the constituency. “Since the people of this area are going hungry due to drought, the government should give them more opportunities in employment guarantee work. I urge the government to make the chief minister do the work of setting up industries in our area,” he said.
“The reason for such incidents is that the government is not properly providing employment through Gram Panchayats. If work is provided in the village, people will not migrate to neighbouring states. Such incidents can be prevented,” he said.
Christopher S, a temporary member of Rekulagi Gram Panchayat, alleged that many workers were being denied access to the employment programme. “Under VB-GRAM G, workers need to register only once and can apply for work at the Gram Panchayat office whenever needed. But in a Gram Panchayat where 800 people are registered, job cards of 700 people have been cancelled. Only 100 job cards are active,” he said.
“As a result, the remaining 700 people are forced to go to other states like Telangana in search of work to support their families,” Christopher added.
Anand Malge of Sindol village said residents had recently sought employment from local officials.
“Last Friday we held a protest and submitted a request to the development officers asking for work under this scheme. The PDO told us there was currently no work available in the panchayat and that we would be given work when it became available,” Malge said.
Rajgira residents Ashok Jaikumar and Shivakumar said the latest tragedy might have been avoided if work had been available locally.
Bidar Zilla Panchayat CEO Dr Girish Dilip Badole said complaints that employment had been denied would be investigated. “If villagers have submitted a letter to the Gram Panchayat requesting work and the Panchayat officer fails to provide work, action will definitely be taken against the PDO. A complete report will be obtained through concerned officials. If the incident is found to be true, the PDO will be suspended immediately,” Badole said.
He said 163 of Bidar’s 181 gram panchayats across eight talukas currently had work under way, with 1,46,865 job cards and 619 ongoing works. About 30,000 people were being provided employment daily in the district, he said.
