NAGARKURNOOL : The impact of demonetisation has affected the daily wage labourers from other states the most. The workers who came from Andhra Pradesh and Odisha to areas like Timmajipeta and Tandur in Telangana to pick cotton and chilli are facing numerous problems due to a severe cash crunch in the market.
These labourers have not received their wages even after working for 45 days. An estimated 80 labourers came to Timmajipeta from Guntur, Prakasam and Kurnool districts. Some labourers were found weeping inconsolably as they had no other option but to wait till they get their wages in cash.
Many businessmen and traders of chilly and cotton crops had paid wages to chilli and cotton farmers by cheques. This has doubled the troubles of the farmers who have hired the labourers for farming activities.
The farmers had deposited the cheques in their respective bank accounts are finding it difficult to pay the wages to labourers who don’t have bank accounts. The farmers cannot withdraw more than `4,000 to `5,000, which they use to pay the labourers but it becomes difficult to pay their wages in full. The amount being paid to the labourers is not helping them to meet their basic needs.
A farmer from Timmajipeta told Express that each farmer owes `10,000 to `20,000 to the labourers.
“Each of the farmers owes hefty sums to the labourers. We have plenty of money in our bank accounts but are not able to pay the same to the labourers. Some times despite standing in queues for the whole day, we are not able to withdraw the money from the banks,” said P Malla Reddy, a farmer from Timmajipeta.
The situation has become so bad that the labourers are not even in a position to pay for the medicines if they fall ill. “One of my labourers fell ill but I am was not able to pay the money for the same due to lack of cash in hand. This is the worst nightmare of my life,” said Karunakar, a cotton farmer.