No Country for Migrant Workers

I hope everyone is doing well during this lockdown period. Some fortunate people are at home with their families, while some may be crawling in their cribs, away from their loved ones, hoping this pandemic to get over soon. It is obvious that everyone is suffering, up to some extent, due to this invisible enemy-Covid-19. The people in upper strata of the society are still able to, somehow, manage the situation, while there is another class –that is most vulnerable; most neglected, amongst all. They are ‘Migrant Workers’.

                                                                                                                           Image for representation

While most of the affluent and privileged people are at home, enjoying new dishes on daily basis; forwarding propaganda and memes over social media, most of the migrant workers are still on their way to home. Every day you might be going through the news of such people travelling hundreds of kilometres on foot or bicycle, without food and water, towards their loved ones, who may be living miles away from them. Some of us may be criticising them of moving out of their current living and not maintaining social distancing, but we fail to understand that most of them have already lost their living and livelihood. They are left in lurch with no options left but to move back towards their villages, which still have not deserted them. Before lockdown, special flights were arranged for those rich, who were stranded in different countries. However, no such planning was there for these poor, who were left at the mercy of their fate. Aren't these migrant workers citizens of this great democracy? Are they children of a Lesser God? 

Finally, on International Labour day, some special trains named ‘Shramik Special’ have been arranged from many states to deport these labourers to their native states. However, this is not the end of suffering of these people, who have lost their source of income and livelihood. Rural economy of their villages has the capacity to sustain them for some time, but for how long!  Lack of livelihood and employment opportunity, forced them to migrate to industrialised states and mega cities. These mega cities gained a lot from these migrants in the form of cheap labour. They work in almost all labour-intensive sectors, responsible for well-established physical infrastructure in these cities. Those tall buildings and long highways in the cities owe a lot to these migrant workers. Despite their great contribution, these workers are left in the lurch during this pandemic. Most of them are part of informal sector, lack job security and insurance cover. Due to their low income, they are forced to live in slums and temporary shelters, which lack basic amenities & hygiene. How we can expect them washing their hands regularly, who don’t even have access to drinking water. It is very tough for them to maintain social distancing while sharing room with many strangers. The fact is – they are the most neglected and ignored segment of our society. They are facing the apathy of not only the administration and law enforcement agencies but also the common masses.

Now the big question is – Is their enough capacity to absorb these workers in their native states?  Thanks to the development of Growth Centres, in few privileged areas, which sucked up cheap labour towards them, paving the way for regional inequality. Such Growth Centres, mostly in southern & western part, pulled migrants from eastern belt of the country. Despite being rich in mineral resources, this eastern belt failed to provide livelihood opportunities to their masses. It is unlikely that after pandemic, these people will get any meaningful employment at their native places, due to lack of will power and capacity of the Govt. Lack of income and livelihood will further push them into poverty and hunger. There will be a spill-over effect of this reverse migration as family members of most of the migrants were dependent on remittances sent by them.

This wave of reverse-migration will be disastrous not only for native states but also for host states reliable on cheap labour. Post pandemic, it will be a dilemma like situation for migrant workers to whether stay at home and find alternative means of livelihood or pack their bags & go back to the pavilion.

Saurav Tomar