Hyderabad: Migrant labourers cup of woes full to the brim

Hyderabad: There seems to be no change in the attitude of labour departments of Telangana, Chhattisgarh and Maharashtra even after the nationwide hue and cry over the problems faced by the migrant labour during the Covid lockdown.

The lack of coordination among the labour departments' continues to subject the migrant labour to exploitation. For example, Nakul Dev (name changed) from Balaghat district of Madhya Pradesh was engaged in the construction of double bedroom houses in Hyderabad. Along with him, there were hundreds more from the district who were roped in by an agent who supplies labourers to various construction works.

Speaking to The Hans India, Nakul said, "The company executing the double bedroom work gives Rs 500 to Rs 600 to the agent. In turn, he pays us a daily wage of Rs 400. Similarly, the contracting company reportedly pays Rs 400 to 500 to the agent for supplying women workers. But they are paid only Rs 300."

When asked, as to why they don't wear safety gear while working at the heights of seventh and eighth floors, he said, "I am not aware that we have to wear the safety gear and no one told us. We work and they pay," he added.

Nikita Devi, along with her husband had earlier worked at the recently inaugurated mega housing complex of double bedrooms at Jiyaguda. When asked, she said, "We have Aadhaar card. But we don't know whether we can avail food grains from the local fair price shop in Hyderabad.

We purchase our daily groceries from the local shop for cooking," making it clear that availing ration under 'One Nation and One Ration Card' is yet to reach to the migrant labour in Telangana.

There are also migrant labourers from Maharashtra and Chhattisgarh in good numbers working at the 2BHK houses.

Bala Dev from Chhattisgarh said that they were provided with ration by the officials when they were held up during the lockdown period. But, post lockdown, their problems remain the same after returning to work.

Speaking to The Hans India, on the condition of anonymity, one supervising official at a double bedroom apartment pointed out, "Sometimes government officials visits the site to know the progress of the works. Other than that, no one from the labour department visits as the double bedroom houses are a government project."

Several migrant workers are not aware whether the company has taken any insurance coverage for them or whether they have any insurance cover to meet the medical expenses in case they met with an accident during the work.

What is worse for the migrant labourers is that some of them were provided with insurance coverage by their respective State governments back in their State. But, the illiterate migrant labourers are not aware even whether the insurance coverage exists or lapsed. And, there is no one, either from Telangana, Chhattisgarh or Maharashtra labour departments to assist and alert them for renewal of the insurance coverage in time.

This leaves them deprived of availing any services assured under the insurance coverages provided by their respective State governments. Similarly, the migrant labour said that they are not aware whether their names were enrolled in any inter-state migrant labour registry, either by Telangana or by their own State governments.