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To reward loyalty, Delhi businessman pays for air tickets of 20 Bihar migrants
Some of these labourers have been working with him since the beginning when he took to mushroom farming 27 years ago.
Not all migrant workers fly to work. But, 20 labourers from Bihar’s Samastipur district, 86 km north-east of Patna, are lucky. The labourers will fly from Patna to Delhi by a GoAir evening flight on August 27.
Delhi-based mushroom farmer Pappan Singh Gahlot, who they refer to as their ‘maalik’ (master), has paid for their airfare, which he claims cost him Rs 1.04 lakh. In addition, he is also paying for the travel expenses of these workers from Samastipur to Patna by reserved taxi.
Gahlot had sent home 10 of his labourers by flight to Patna on May 28, after they were stranded in the national capital during the lockdown to prevent the spread of the coronavirus pandemic.
Some of these labourers have been working with him since the beginning when he took to mushroom farming 27 years ago.
“The tickets are slightly cheaper this time. They have cost me Rs 5,200 per head, as against Rs 6,800 during the lockdown,” said Gahlot over phone from Delhi. While 10 labourers will fly for the second time, 10 others are first-time fliers.
“I had a cheaper option, to get them back by train, as the fare of Rajdhani Express was Rs 4,000 per head. However, I want my workers to experience the joy of flying for the first time even if it costs me some extra money. We have a close bond,” said Gahlot.
Gahlot’s only remorse is that he will be engaging only 20 workers this time as against 50 for mushroom cultivation, which will be on a smaller scale between September and March.
“I will reduce by half my mushroom cultivation, which I used to do on a 3-acre plot of land. The pandemic has had an effect on its sale, with stocks of canned mushroom lying idle as the hotel and hospitality industry is at an all-time low,” he added.
Gahlot had the option of hiring people from Delhi and neighbouring areas, but he believes in rewarding loyalty, as people like Lakhindra Ram, 55, have been working with him for the last 27 years. His son Navin Kumar, 25, has been working for Gahlot for the last 10 years and his brother Praveen Ram has also been working for the last five years.
“We never dreamt of flying, it has been possible only because of our ‘maalik’. We were initially scared when the plane took off, but later enjoyed our air travel,” said Navin.
“He has been a messiah for us. Even when we had no work and nothing to eat during the three-month lockdown period in Bihar, he transferred money up to Rs 3,000 per month for all those who used to work with him and even the first-timers going to work in Delhi,” added Navin.
Bihar received around 20 lakh migrant workers from different parts of India during the lockdown.
