Sad but True! Chaos and Hunger Faced by Migrants & labourers lodged at a Hostel during Lockdown in City, by the District administration joined by Mangaluru City Corporation and Department of Labour. There are nearly 300 migrants and labourers presently at the Metric Government Hostel, near Padua College on the National Highway- and their situation is getting from BAD to WORSE. No Breakfast this morning and Late Lunch, and while many want to head back to their sweet home not far from Mangaluru, they have been kept under like “House Arrest’, even though they are not CRIMINALS. Such is the situation faced unexpectedly by these souls at the Metric Govt Hostel.
Mangaluru: Hundreds of migrant workers and labourers, including those people who got stuck in Mangaluru, due to no transportation, and who were wandering in the City, and attempting to move out of this City to reach their hometown, sadly and unfortunately got picked up by the authorities/police and placed at a Metric Govt Hostel, near Padua College on NH, since yesterday, faced chaos and hunger today, since breakfast was not served to them, and being hungry they were all eagerly waiting for their lunch, which arrived past 1 pm on Sunday, 29 March 2020. I think it is the total negligence of the administration and those associated with them, to put these people without breakfast as promised, and make them wait for lunch until past 1 pm.
Such migration and also of the mass labourers may undermine attempts by the district administration and other departments to prevent the localized spread of the coronavirus, with some workers even attempting to make the journey on foot, due to widespread closures of public transport. But with industries/factories/labor work/etc closed by the government lockdown, many have been left with little choice but to attempt the return journey home. Take the example of Ramesh and his colleagues who were daily wage labourers, working at construction sites, and when the work stopped this week when the lockdown came into effect- they managed to stay here and there for a day, and when they were planning to head home to their native place in Bantwal, they were all picked up and put here in the hostel. Wouldn’t it have better if arrangements were made to drop them in Bantwal, rather than put them in this hostel-which they feel is torture because they have done nothing wrong, and they are not criminals either?
“We were heading home walking because, without money, It is better than living here with nothing and starving to death. We don’t deserve to be here, for no reasons” said one of them. With all shops, factories, workshops, markets been closed, buses being suspended and construction work halted, many of these people have been put here in the hostel, and their situation is terrible. Even women and a few children stuck at this hostel, are crying and want to go home, some living in Puttur, Sullia and nearby areas. Some of them are from the Bagalkot area. Instead of putting them here in the hostel why can’t the govt/administration arrange buses (since KSRTC buses are not in use at the moment) and drop them at their native places, here DK and in the State.
This is not the fault of these migrants nor labourers- it was due to the sudden lockdown they had to face all these inconveniences, so why the govt and the administration is making them suffer in such a camp, with other strangers, when they have their homes in the State. Govt and other departments should make provisions to make them reach home, if they are closer to Mangaluru, rather than put them in this temporary shelter home. It’s sad to watch the faces of the women and children who are anxiously waiting to go home- and many of them have already started cursing those who put them here when they had done nothing wrong.
Speaking to Team Mangalorean, Corrine Rasquinha, the Founder of White Doves said, “Last night we had fed around 300 people here, with rice and chicken curry, and also we had fed a few with vegetarian meals. We were there at the hostel until 11 pm, and made sure everyone got their food. Apart from feeding other destitute in the City, we managed to oblige the officials when they requested us to supply food to all these people last night. And we are happy of our service since we put a smile on the faces of these hungry souls”.
But this morning since the undertaking of food delivery was given to someone else, the food provider fed only 30 people, including women and children only, and the remaining 270 or so people didn’t get breakfast. And remaining hungry the whole morning, they were literally begging for lunch to be served to them at the earliest, but all in vain. It was Sub Inspector Maruthi from Kadri East Police Station who arrived at the spot around noontime, and made a few calls to the concerned authorities, requesting them to supply lunch to these starving people as soon as possible, since they were getting restless out of hunger. And with much of efforts put in by the SI, the food was delivered at past 1 pm.
What was the situation of their dinner tonight, and tomorrow’s food, we will update the news tomorrow. Other than two cops managing these people at the hostel, there is no one from any admin nor other govt departments to take care of these poor people, who are housed in a place, which they might have never thought off, and that such a situation would come, not because of their fault, but due to the lockdown by the govt. So who is responsible for such a fate of these hard working labourers, who earn for their living, and now they have to face such consequences, at the hands of the govt and other sources.
In conclusion, looking at the pathetic condition and situation faced by these migrants and labourers, the district administration, dept of labour and MCC should come out with a better plan, or after doing a thorough screening of all these people lodged here, they should be transported to their native places, which are closer to Mangaluru, or in the state. As per an official, it was learnt that the admin is planning to keep them here at the hostel and provide them facilities and food until the lockdown is lifted and when buses start plying. That is a long way to go- the admin should think of the women and children, not to forget the men too, and relieve all of them from the agony they are all facing now. PLEASE DON’T ALLOW THEM TO SUFFER MORE, Thank You!
