Help too late, of no use, say migrants

Neeraj Bagga
Tribune News Service
Amritsar, May 16

Migrants have termed the Centre’s package a belated attempt to rescue them from the crisis following the two-month-long lockdown to control Covid-19 outbreak.

Nagina Singh, a daily wager, said he had not got any work for the past 55 days while he has to support his family consisting of wife, son, daughter-in-law and two daughters. Singh said he sustained only on his savings in the past two months. He said during the lockdown, he received a one-time aid comprising 10-kg wheat flour, two kg of pulses and sugar each.

Brij Das, a migrant labourer, said the factory owner paid him only Rs 2,500 as the salary for April, instead of Rs 7,000. He said if he gets ration from the government, then he might continue to stay here.

Brij Das said a large number of migrants were compelled to return to their homes due to non-payment of salaries and non-availability of work.

Sukhdev Pal, president of the local chapter of Uttar Pradesh Kalyan Parishad, lamented that it took the Modi government 50 days to announce a package. He said the migrants were the worst-affected in the lockdown.