Early Times Report
Jammu, Mar 31: At least 58,500 migrant labourers stranded in Jammu and Kashmir in the wake of country-wide lockdown are in a crisis, as not only their wages have dried up, many cannot afford the rent or even food. According to a survey by J&K Labour Department, there are 58,500 migrant labourers currently in the Union Territory. Due to countrywide lockdown, announced by the government of India to prevent the spread of novel coronavirus, they are not able to go to their native places.
Most of these workers are running out of money and food and are desperate to go back to their native places. Biju Kumar, a labourer from Bihar, could not leave Kashmir for his home due to country-wide lockdown. Penniless, he now seeks help for food and transportation.
Kumar along with two dozen other like labourers are staying in Soura area on the outskirts of Srinagar, where a local self-help group is taking care of their food. However, they are desperately seeking help from the government to evacuate them to Bihar.
"It is better to go back home rather than staying here and starving to death. As of now some good Samaritans are providing us food, but how long it will sustain," said Kumar while hailing the locals for providing them food. |
