Kurnool: Hamalis demand hike in labour charges

Kurnool: The leaders of Centre of Indian Trade Unions (CITU) on Wednesday demanded the government to enhance the hamali coolies and corona insurance cover to Rs 50 lakh.

With the demand, the leaders along with the civil supplies department coolies staged a protest in front of the civil supplies office near Tekka market yard in Nandyal on Wednesday.

CITU leader Lakshman said the coolies working in the civil supplies department are being paid very low. With the meagre amount, the hamalis are finding it hard to support the families.

The labourers are not being paid for work they are doing, said Lakshman. Hamali union secretary Gopal said during pandemic situations, the hamalis have risked their lives and worked in loading and unloading the essential commodities from the civil supplies godown.

Some of them have even lost their lives, lamented Gopal. Venkata Lingam, another leader of CITU, demanded the government to enhance the coolies of hamalis besides the corona insurance to Rs 50 lakh. He also urged the Chief Minister Y S Jagan Mohan Reddy to resolve the problems being faced by the hamalis. If the government did not pay heed to the demands, then it would face the ire of hamalis, stated Venkata Lingam.