Mahabubabad: From livelihood crisis to lockdown

Mahabubabad: It was Sunday mid-afternoon. Trudging towards the northwards obviously to their native places was a stream of migrant labourers from Maharashtra. Neither had they worried about the coronavirus scare nor the scorching sun. Their goal is to reach their native places while rest of the country is concerned about its safety from being invaded by the life-threatening coronavirus (Covid-19).

There are more than 5,000 migrant farmworkers who belong to different places of Maratha land have been engaged by the local farmers for harvesting chilli across Mahabubabad district. Since the announcement of 21-day nationwide lockdown to contain the outbreak of pandemic coronavirus, life has become miserable for these workers whether to die of starvation or to succumb to the malady.

Left with no option of livelihood and transportation mode, they started to foot it to their villages. Against this backdrop, the Centre's advice to the State governments to stop these migrated workers at where they are by providing them accommodation and food has come like a saviour for these labourers.

Minister for Tribal Welfare and Women Development Satyavathi Rathod, who came to know about a group of workers heading to their native places on foot, rushed to them and convinced them to stay back. The Minister assured them of providing shelter and food and directed the district administration to make arrangements for their stay at the government school in Mallial village.

Rathod said: "All the workers would undergo health check up free of cost. The district administration will take care of these workers until the lockdown is lifted. Meanwhile, the authorities will look into the option of providing them farm works." The other migrated workers will also be provided food and shelter near to their workplace, Rathod said.

The migrant workers who were visibly happy expressed their gratitude for the gesture extended by the State Government. "We thought it as a one-day affair," a worker said, referring to the Janata Curfew. "We have no idea when this lockdown would end. Back home, our family members are worried about us," a female worker said.