Odisha migrant labourers helped in returning home safely

In his decade-long annual migration to exterior States for working in brick-kilns, Haladhar Thapa, a employee from Odisha’s Balangir district, has maybe for the primary time returned home with a way of dignity.

Often packed like sardines in unreserved prepare compartments together with fellow employees, Mr. Thapa’s journey again home was as exploitative as had been his working circumstances in brick-kilns. This yr, nevertheless, could also be an exception.

With the second wave of the pandemic disrupting lives in all places, brick kiln operators, usually seen as exploitative employers in the previous, have funded prepare fares for migrant employees to journey again home. Masks, sanitisers and meals packets have additionally been supplied to them.

Learning from the employees’ traumatic expertise of returning home throughout the first wave of COVID-19 final yr, some voluntary organisations, brick kiln homeowners and State authorities officers had deliberate for the return of employees in a extra organised method this yr.

“A fortnight ago, I had booked tickets for 42 workers from Hyderabad to different districts of Odisha. They left for home on June 1. They should not contract virus during their travel. We wanted these workers to come back and work with us again,” stated Kondappa Naidu, who operates a brick kiln at Peddakonduru below the Choutuppal mandal in Telangana.

Mr. Naidu admitted that this was the primary he had booked tickets for employees employed by him. Migrant labourers who work in brick kilns are not often seen returning home in reserved Indian Railways compartments. Usually, homeowners drop labourers at railway stations after the season’s work is completed and inform them to search out their very own methods home.

This time, conserving in thoughts the vulnerability of employees, labour activists started consultations with brick-kiln operators in Tamil Nadu and Telangana in advance.

“We told them that the second wave was more serious and workers were required to be protected. If they travel in cramped public transport systems, they would be running the risk of contracting the virus again, which happened in the first wave,” stated Umi Daniel, head of the migration unit of Aide et Action, a voluntary organisation that works on migration points.

These seasonal migrant labourers had gone to different States to work in brick kilns in October-November, when the primary COVID-19 wave confirmed indicators of weakening. They had no thought {that a} second wave would arrive, which it did after they had been at their work websites.

“By the first week of May, workers had become desperate to return home. However, Odisha’s second wave of COVID-19 was peaking around that time. They were trying to come back home from Tamil Nadu and Telangana, which were also affected by the pandemic,” Mr. Daniel narrated.

“We motivated them to stay back in brick kilns, which are a little safer as they are situated in isolated locations, for some more time. The infection rate was very high at the destination as well as the source areas. We thought they should not be travelling during such a critical time. Since entire families, including pregnant women and small kids were there, they are more vulnerable to catch the virus during the travel,” he stated.

After rounds of discussions with brick kiln homeowners, it was agreed that prepare fare can be funded. Districts administrations again in Odisha had been knowledgeable in advance in order that that they had prior details about employees’ return, and accordingly, journey again to their respective villages was deliberate.

As of now, 300 employees have returned by travelling in reserved compartments. They had been examined at momentary medical centres. Those who examined optimistic had been remoted and others returned home. Around 3,000 employees are anticipated to come back again home through comparable preparations by June 15.

Workers from Bhubaneswar and different main cities of Odisha are being despatched again to their villages by particular buses.

Volunteers are always conserving in contact with the migrant labourers, who’re suggested to masks up safely and wash palms steadily whereas travelling in trains. Information on the preparations made by the Odisha authorities, supplied in advance, additionally offers them confidence.

“A system has also been put in place to monitor their health status at their villages. Some alert workers have been given guided over phone to identify COVID-19 symptoms. They are expected to inform the nearest government authorities if anyone develops such symptoms,” stated Jyoti Prakash Brahma, one other activist.

“The arrangement has made our job easier. Right from tracking workers from the railway station to sending them back to their villages, it has been a smooth affair,” stated Reena Kumar Naik, Sub-Collector of Balangir.

Workers usually migrate to brick kilns with their relations from western Odisha districts.