600 Indians in Qatar for World Cup infra stranded with no pay

NEW DELHI: Over 600 Indian construction workers in Qatar have for six months faced denial of salaries, job losses, the expiry of visas and substandard living conditions in labour camps, according to workers and official communications reviewed by Hindustan Times.

Qatar has been drawing flak over the plight of migrant workers involved in construction work for the infrastructure required for the 2022 football World Cup.

An Indian official said nearly 300 of the workers have been provided work in other companies while some have been brought back. But several of those affected say there has been no word on their compensation after having worked for eight to 10 years.

The workers said they had fallen on hard times since a financial crisis hit early this year, leading Qatari firm HKH General Contracting Company, which once employed 1,200 workers.

“We are now left to the mercy of people who help us on a charitable basis for food. We do not even have electricity in the daytime, but just about manage to get generators running in the night,’’ said S Kumar, who is from Kerala and worked for the firm for eight years. He said he had not been paid for last six months. A plumber, who worked for the company for nine years, said they have no option but to wait. “I cannot even go to a hospital for the fear of getting caught as my visa has been expired,” he said on condition of anonymity.

“I had to borrow money to arrange for my flight back home. I feel hopeless. I pawned my property to come here two years ago. This is what life has given me here,’’ said another worker.

The Indian embassy in Qatar took up the matter with the company without any response after 25 workers wrote to the mission on April 10 complaining that they had not been paid for months.

Subsequently, the embassy approached Qatar’s administrative development, labour and social affairs ministry. “The ministry has assured us all humanitarian assistance,’’ said an Indian official who asked not to be named.

The embassy again wrote to the company on May 5 reminding it of the non-payment of salaries. Kerala’s principal secretary took up the matter in a letter to the embassy on May 29. HT has seen both the letters.

Jarnail Singh, a worker, said writing letters was not alone going to help.