Migrant labourers struggle in 200 ‘addas’ in Hyd

​Hyderabad: Thousands of labourers, who migrate from villages to the city, are struggling to make both ends meet across 200 labour locations (‘addas’) in the city at 8 am. They await holding lunch boxes for those who offer work, with anxiety writ large on their faces worrying what’s in store for them during the day.

• A survey conducted by The Hans India reveals that many of these labourers shift in the absence of any means of livelihood in their native place, barring the time of agricultural operations.
• Some migrate to become labourers in the hope of getting more wages during the off season
• Many are doing so after having incurred debts for constructing houses & performing marriages of girls
• Many labourers say that MGNREGS is not so useful for them
• Women face worst exploitation both financially, sexually
• Children of the labourers live in worst conditions

A survey conducted by The Hans India reveals that many of these labourers shift to Hyderabad in the absence of any means of livelihood, barring the time when agricultural operations commence. Some migrate to become labourers in the hope of getting more wages during the off season.

The survey showed that many who have chosen to take up labour work are doing so after having incurred debts for constructing houses and performing marriage of girls, getting their children educated and spending on treatment. Experts told THI that the migration is taking place because of the decline in farm operations and artisan activity.

Many labourers during interaction with THI charged that MGNREGS, being implemented by the Centre to check rural migration, is not useful for them, as they face innumerable problems and unable to secure adequate daily wages. At least half of them fail to secure day-long work.

They return home empty-handed after waiting till 11 am on lean days. They point out that there is less of human work following increasing use of machines on a daily basis. The workers mostly live either in small huts or rooms with tin-sheet roofs, paying rents ranging from `1,200 to `2,000.

Women face worst exploitation both financially and sexually. Some of them become victims of misbehavior, after being taken to a spot in the guise of work, says Lakshmi of Parigi. She expressed anguish that two such victims had committed suicide, unable to face the humiliation.

Labourers like Saidulu, Chennaiah and Lakshmamma had to face harrowing time when their children fell sick and had to approach private hospitals for treatment. These labourers appeal to the State government to improve the facilities in State-run hospitals and intervene in solving their problems, by meeting the expenses incurred in building the house and getting treatment for ailments, besides creating more MGNREGS work with social security.

Yadamma of Mandipala in Parigi mandal of Ranga Reddy district, who had migrated two years back while pouring out her woes, said that she does not get adequate wage (`100 a day) while working under the MGNREGS. ‘How can I live by earning `100?’ Although she owns a small stretch of land it is proving to be of no use because of poor rainfall and her investment capability.

Her family built a house in the village spending `5 lakh. Unable to clear the debts, she was forced to sell the land and migrate to Hyderabad to become a labourer. She is struggling to clear the debt, as her two children are in classes VII and VIII in government schools.

Yadamma reaches the ‘adda’ after sending them to school. She does not secure work every day. “With difficulty I work for 15 days in a month. Even if I get the daily wage it is not more than `350.” She has to meet the rental expense of a room with tin-sheet roof, spending `500, including water and power bills. “How can my family survive with this meager amount?” Yadamma asks.

Recently at a work spot she met with an accident fracturing a leg. She had to spend `30,000 for treatment in a private hospital, as those run by the State are lacking. “This increased my debt burden,” she remarked.

Ramulamma of Gonaboyinapalli in Devarakonda mandal of Nalgonda district moved to Hyderabad due to spiraling prices of commodities hoping to secure higher wages. Although she owned one acre land, she became a migrant labourer after spending `2 lakh, taken as loan, for her daughter’s marriage.

Adverse weather conditions did not suit farm operations. Ramulamma is facing a bitter struggle to clear her loan, using her wages. She is burdened with feeding her grandson and grand-daughter following the recent death in a road accident of her son-in-law.

Nagaraju Reddy of Anantapur, who settled here, told THI that he had to face harsh words of officials and leaders when asked to show a means of livelihood. “I am bluntly told to go back to village. Even after getting work at the ‘adda’, my woes don’t end. Although engaged for a wage of `500 I am paid `400 by the employer.

When I fight for justice, I am attacked and abused, he says breaking down that he is at the receiving end. Even the ‘mestries’ who engage the labourers don’t pay them wages at once. They pay for four days in a week, keeping the balance amount.

The amount is paid the following week, said Satyanarayana of Illendu and Saidulu of Mutharam in Mudigonda mandal. “If we press for total payment we are not called for work again. We have to face humiliation/insults and continue to work, as we can’t afford to starve.”

Lakshmamma and her husband of Nagarkurnool, in Mahbubnagar district, both small-time farmers, had taken `1 lakh at the rate of `3 interest. After their crops dried up they were forced to migrate.

“Even after working daily we are unable to clear the loan as `400 we receive as wage is just sufficient to meet the rent and food expenses,” they said. Former MPTC Pilli Mallayya of Taduru village in Uppanutala mandal has been forced to work as a labourer, despite owning four acres which has poor irrigation facility. “There is no MGNREGS work as was the case in the past, as it is stopped during farm season. Hence I have come here looking for work.” He is unhappy that no government improves the lot of migrant labour.

Raghu of Warangal has completed Intermediate. “As there is no employment in the village I am forced to become an adda labourer,” he bemoans. When these ‘adda’ labourers are injured at work spots no ex-gratia is paid to them, as those who engage them and the ‘mestries’ and the government are not bothered about their welfare, without meeting their treatment expenditure.

Children of the labourers live in worst conditions, as there is none to take care of them at home. Many of them are forcibly taken by parents to the work spots, depriving them of school education, like the case of a six-year-old daughter of a migrant labourer Ramesh. Some parents do manage to send their children to government schools. But if the children fall sick the labourers have to take care of them staying home.

By Naresh Sankepally