Removed from Labour Chowk, workers struggle to make ends meet

Karam Prakash

Tribune News Service

Patiala, February 22

A 33-year-old labourer, Raj Kumar, has not been able to manage two square meals a day for the past two weeks. Reason: Jail authorities have prevented them (labourers) from standing at the Labour Chowk — a place where from they are being hired everyday.

Raj Kumar, along with hundreds of workmen, would stand near Bhadson bus stop to look for any potential employer. The said place, adjacent to Patiala Central Jail, had been the waiting spot for the labourers for more than four decades.

Ever since the jail authorities have stopped the labourers to stand at the said place, they have been struggling to make ends meet. The move to stop them from their age-old spot, allegedly, has come keeping in view the security of the Patiala Central Jail.

The affected labourers have also met Patiala Member of Parliament Preneet Kaur for help. Labours demanded that they should be either allowed to gather at the spot or they should be given an alternate place to gather. However, the labourers said that they — have been a soft target — were being made scapegoats in the name of security because there was no one to speak for them.

“The said spot is widely known to potential employers. Therefore, they (employers) are more likely to come at the same place only. Moreover, the government is not providing us with any alternative place,” said the labourers.

“Labourers have been gathering at the spot for more than four decades. Suddenly, they (police) have asked to gather at some other place. Where will we go? Instead of giving work, the government is snatching away our livelihood.”Another labourer, Pala Singh, 50, said, “If we go some other place, we won’t get work as contractors and people are aware of this spot only. We are being targeted because we are at the lowest rung of the ladder.”Vijay Walia, an activist who fights for labours, said, “There is a full-fledged market and residential colony near the Jail. But it has never been have never been questioned. How come, the poor labourers — who gather for a few hours at the spot — are a threat to the security.”