Farming workers turned construction works long to get back in the field

TRICHY: Like flocks of migrating birds during the season, several thousands of farming worker from non-delta blocks like Mannapparai, Thottiam, parts of Musiri and Vaiyampatti are arriving at the city limit for involving in constructional and other works on daily basis. Since due to the lack of irrigation issues, many farmers had restrained themselves from involving in cultivation, thus many farming workers are forced to involve in such construction works for earning ample money for their daily livelihood.

Buses, trains and all sorts of transportation reaching the city from urban parts during morning hours are seen jam-packed with daily wage workers who arrive in the city for working in construction works. Beyond difficulties having risky travel several thousands of workers reaching to the city to get a work in a construction site for earning money for living. Subsequently, most of such daily wagers arriving to the city are former farm works who lost their jobs due to the reducing farming activities and machinery involvements in non-delta blocks of the district.

Speaking to Express, R Kanamma, Kallupatti village, said "Following our regular chores, we had to be in the Kalpattichatram railway station within 7 am to catch the Dindugal passenger for reaching Tiruchy by 9 am. And we used to gather near the aristo bridge to wait for the contractors to take us for works in various construction sites across the city. If we miss that time, we shall be jobless for the day. Similarly in the evening had to rush back from the construction site to the railway station to catch the same train to get back home."

she added that they had to request lorry driver who is passing through their villages to drop them in their villages if they miss the train. Since there are no direct buses from Tiruchy to such far remote villages.

Nearly 200 people come from their nearby villages.Some workers requested that the district administration could take action in operating on the bus service in the morning and night hours to such far villages alongside the Madurai -Tiruchy road and Tiruchy - Dindigul road. As many including women had to literally stand for hours in the evening hours in the active road for asking lift to the vehicles moving through their village.

A Manoharan, a worker from Mannapparai block said, "As most of the farmers in the non-delta block had to largely rely on the monsoon rainfall for involving in farming workers, due to the lesser amount of rainfall for the past couple of years had caused many farmers to refrain cultivation completely for past couple of years. Due to that many farming workers were left jobless, thus without any other options, we had to choose to involve in construction works. As most of us don't know other works than farming works."

He added that there is nearly 5,000 to 6,000 farm worker tuned daily wagers are visiting Tiruchy from Manapparai and nearby blocks on daily basis.Manoharan along with his fellow workers said "We are placing our hopes in the forthcoming monsoon rainfall if we had good rainfall. We can get back to the farm for involving in agricultural works by the next agricultural season."  

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