KENDRAPARA: Gobinda Chandra Mohanty is a worried man. The 72-year-old native of Kendrapara district these days is glued to TV, surfing channels for updates on the strife-torn Nepal. He has his reasons. His son, Debashis Mohanty, has been working as a plumber in Kathmandu for the last 20 years. And each footage of violence brings him anxiety.
“My son and daughter-in law spoke to me today. They say the situation is grave. Now, we are praying for their safety”, a worried Gobinda said, sitting in his house in the riverside Balipatna village under Pattamundai block.
Debashis who lives in Kathmandu with his wife and children told this newspaper over phone that situation is tense in Kathmandu. Agitators ransacked and torched many houses and offices. Curfew remains in force and curbs have been imposed on the movement of people for which they are staying indoors, he reveals.
“I assured my parents not to worry about us. Around 1,000 plumbers of Kendrapara are working in Nepal. Kindly publish my phone number (009779851085120) to draw attention of the government about our plight,” said Debashis.
Parbati Mohapatra of Srirampur is also worried as her husband Sangram Mohapatra (48) also works as a plumber in Kathmandu. “I fear for my husband,” said Parbati. Her daughter Sonali, a nursing student, said mobile phone is the only link with her father.
The unrest in Nepal has brought fear of social and economic insecurity to many families across Aul and Rajkanika blocks of the district.
Prafulla Nayak, a social worker of Pattamundai said expats from the district are credited with boosting the rural economy in the past six decades by sending remittances worth crores of rupees every year as they are experts in plumbing works.
Assistant district labour officer Ashok Murmu said hundreds of plumbers of Kendrapara work in many countries including Nepal. “We have not received any information about plight of these workers till date. We will help them after getting information from them or their relatives,” he added.
Murmu said the government has established Migration Support and Resource Centre in Kendrapara town to provide support. The toll free number 18003456703 will help workers get support from government.