MYSURU: The COVID-19 outbreak has severely hit the construction industry and thousands of workers who depend on it for their livelihoods are facing a crisis with no work and wages.
Nearly 70,000 workers are in the construction industry in Mysuru district. A large number of workers from Hunsur, Mysuru Taluk, Sarguru, Nanjangud, T Narasipura, HD Kote and KR Nagar used to come to Mysuru for jobs, with a male worker getting Rs 450 per day and a female worker Rs 300.
Dinesh, a construction worker from Mysuru taluk who was earning Rs 2500 per week, said the lockdown has made them jobless all of a sudden. “Several residential projects have been halted and for the past one month, our livelihood has been hit hard. We were completely depending on the daily wages to run the family and with no work, it has become very difficult to manage the family.”
G Siddaraju, state president of Karnataka Rajya Bharatha Matha Kadda Karmikara Sangha, said they are worried about the aftermath of the lockdown. “A fear has gripped construction workers that the industry would be hit for a few months and hundreds of people would become jobless. It is high time the government looks at the burning problems of construction workers and supplies ration to their doorsteps.”
“Those who had migrated to Bengaluru and Mangaluru have also returned and are worried as they have no jobs. Hundreds of construction workers from neighbouring Gundulet who had migrated to Kerala have also returned and are facing severe problems,” he added.
Social activist NT Ravikumar said that the government should provide financial assistance for construction workers for 2-3 months and also make arrangements to supply groceries and vegetables.