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| COVID: To prevent mass migration of non-local labourers, J&K Gov’t allows operation of brick kilns | | | Early Times Report
Jammu, Apr 17: Sensing trouble in view of the migration of over four lakh non-local labourers working during the lockdown, Jammu and Kashmir administration has finally decided to allow the brick kiln owners of resuming the suspending operation gradually across the parts of the district in this Union Territory.
Lakhs of labourers from different parts of the country are working in different brick kilns in the winter capital but soon after the lockdown, it has become difficult for them to survive as they could not earn a daily livelihood due to suspended operations.
“A meeting took place between the higher-ups and the representatives of brick-kilns wherein it was made clear that it would become difficult for them to prevent an exodus of such a huge number of workers and permission to resume the work should be granted,” a brick kiln owner here said.
He said that realizing that exodus of migrant labour that would defeat the spirit of lockdown and social distancing, the administration gradually allowed operation in Jammu.
“More than four lakh labourers from parts of Chattisgarh, Bihar, Jharkhand, Orissa and Uttar Pradesh have been working in brick-kilns across J&K,” he said and added that they have been providing food and shelter to the labourers from own pocket without any work but without commencing operation, it would have been difficult rather impossible to prevent the exodus of these migrant workers.
“Allowing operation of brick kilns was the only option to prevent a mass exodus of these workers”, he said and added that operations have been started in Kathua, Samba and Jammu districts as of now. “As it was already a working season and in over 300 brick-kilns across Jammu, the workers have already reached here in the last week of December because usually, the work starts in January,” he said and added that they were ready to work amid Coronavirus crises, provided authorities permit to carry on with the operation.
He further said that workers engaged in the brick kiln industry rarely mingled with other population so allowing operations would not defeat lockdown or social distancing spirit.
“These labourers are not confined to Brick Kiln industry only but also harvesting of crops in the border belts of Jammu province solely dependable upon this workforce due to which the authorities have to realize that in the next fortnight for the harvesting of wheat crop will begin,” said the owner.
President Jammu Brick Kiln Owners Association, Bibhishan Singh said, “earlier we were facing hardship and we’re fearing migration of labourers but the fresh order of continuing with operation has relieved us.”
He added that the labourers are working within brick kiln premises and all preventive measures are being taken care of.
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