Despite work offers, migrant labourers desperate to go home
JALANDHAR/NABHA: Even as industrial units are becoming operational with easing of lockdown restrictions in Punjab, migrant labourers are desperate to go back home due to concern for their families, fear of Covid-19 infection and uncertainty over their future.
Kailash Kumar, 40, an industrial worker of Jalandhar who hails from Bahraich (Uttar Pradesh), said, “We are concerned about our families back home and want to leave as soon as possible.” Kailash said he and several of his co-workers are waiting for the confirmation of their train bookings.
Nearly one lakh migrants, majority of them factory workers, have registered with the district administration to go back to their home states on special trains. Seven ‘Shramik Express’ trains have already departed from the city to different states, ferrying around 8,400 migrant labourers since May 5.
Manoj Kumar, 29, hailing from Bihar, who worked in a dyeing factory in Jalandhar, said there is an uncertainty about their future. “Even if the factory resumes operations, we will be working under the fear of virus infection. We will rather go back home and live with our families.” Gagan Kumar of Bihar, a construction worker in Nabha subdivision of Patiala, says his mother has been facing health problems back home. “My contractor is calling for construction work now. However, I want rush home. We don’t know when will get the next chance to return home.”
Sunil Mandal, another migrant labourer from Bihar, said, “We have had a tough time during the lockdown period so far. Though we have work opportunities now, my family is worried and insisting me to return home.” So far, over 35,000 migrant labourers have registered for their return in Patiala district. Narinder Singh Saggu, president of focal point industrial units association, said the government should have consultations with industrialists so that the workers’ apprehensions could be resolved.
Onkar Singh Agaul, state general secretary of BKU (Rajewal), said, “The government should have made all possible efforts to keep back migrant labourers in Punjab to revive the economy of the state and save paddy growers from the farm labour crisis.”
Meanwhile, as many as 1,188 migrant labourers left for Gonda (Uttar Pradesh) from Amritsar on a Shramik Express train on Thursday.