Despite Mosul massacre, Iraq still a draw for Punjab’s jobless youth
CHANDIGARH: They left home dreaming of better lives and returned in caskets.
Despite deaths of Indian workers in Iraq, thousands of men in the state still hope to find a job in the war-torn land – and mostly through illegal channels. Of the 39 labourers who went to Iraq and were killed by suspected ISIS militants, 27 were from Punjab.
Travel agents here said people still plan to go to places such as Iraq for jobs and better wages, despite the risks that such troubled regions pose.
Many travel without valid papers, they said, calling for a strict enforcement of a licensing system to check the mushrooming of illegal travel agents in Punjab. “The main reason people go to other countries is unemployment in Punjab,” said Kuljeet Singh Hayer, president of the Punjab Travel Agents’ Association. “When they go through illegal travel agents, they get trapped,” he said.
A Jalandhar-based registered agent who runs an approved recruitment and manpower consultancy firm said people pursued such jobs because the salaries of workers in Iraq were two or three times higher than those in places such as Dubai.
The agent, who did not wish to be identified, said many international companies required labour for infrastructure projects being built or rebuilt in the warravaged country.
A construction worker could earn USD 800-1,000 per month (₹50,000-₹65,000) in Iraq as against monthly earnings of 1,200 Dirham (₹22,000) in Dubai, he added.
“I feel, besides illegal travel agents, customers who want to go abroad through illegal means are also at fault. Despite knowing the dangers involved in going to Iraq, they still want to go there,” he said.
To curb the practice of illicit travel agents, the state government had framed the Prevention of Human Smuggling Act, 2012, which was later renamed the Punjab Travel Professional Regulation Act, 2013, making registration mandatory for travel agents or those in consultancy and ticketing for a valid licence.
“Strict enforcement of this law is essential so as to stop gullible people from falling prey to unauthorised travel agents,” said Hayer.
Only 1,088 travel agents are registered with deputy commissioners in the state while 38 are listed as “recruiting agent” with the Protectorate General of India, ministry of external affairs.
“We are regularly holding educational campaigns to make people aware about safe and legal emigration,” said additional director general of police Ishwar Singh, a nodal officer dealing with issues on emigration and the activities of unauthorised travel agents.
According to some estimates, there are about 22 lakh jobless youth in Punjab.
“About 34 per cent farmers are small and marginal in Punjab and their farming has become unviable when it comes to income and employment generation,” he said.
A CONSTRUCTION WORKER COULD EARN
$8001,000 PER MONTH (₹50,000₹65,000) IN IRAQ AS AGAINST MONTHLY EARNINGS OF 1,200 DIRHAM (₹22,000) IN DUBAI