MGNREGA workers protest, demand release of dues

NABHA: Residents of two Nabha villages, Kaidupur and Lubana, are protesting against the governments as they “have to stay hungry as they have no money to buy food and medicines”.

They climbed on rooftops in the afternoon and banged plates to show that their utensils are empty as they are unable to buy food or medicines.

MGNREGA workers claimed that the government is not releasing their payments against work done in the past. “Now, even the work has stopped due to curfew and labourers are left unemployed,” they said.

Even while protesting, they are ensuring social distancing to prevent spread of Covid-19.

The protesters climbed on their respective rooftops instead of assembling on one location. Sunita Rani of Kaidupur, said that daily wagers cannot afford food and medicines for so many days without pay.

“The poor are buying essentials on credit basis. Even that may stop after a while,” said Krishan Singh, of Lubana.

Lubana village sarpanch Karamjit Kaur said two days ago, he had raised the issue with higher authorities.

Her husband Amarjit Singh said, “The labourers and their families will die of starvation before the pandemic kills them.” There are 340 families of labourers in Lubana, and 40 such families in Kaidupur, who are running out of cash.

Lubana village workers are yet to get payment of 40 days of work, and payment for 30 days of work done by Kaidupur households is pending.

The villages reported that even the sale of essentials is not streamlined. Nabha SDM Sooba Singh said the villages have been divided into clusters and the lists of vendors are being issued.

The supply will soon resume in all villages.