MALKANGIRI: Trapped in a cycle of lockdown miseries, a migrant labourer pedalled 900km with his wife on a journey back home from Andhra Pradesh only to land at a quarantine centre, only 15 km from their village, here on Friday night.
Hailing from Sindhiguda village under Khairput block limits, 24-year-old Trinath Sagaria and his wife Kabita worked as labourers at a farm in Telangana’s Karimnagar city. When construction activities halted, they sustained about a fortnight on their meagre resources.
Soon, all of their savings were exhausted. With uncertainty looming over resumption of work, they were left worried and helpless like thousands of migrant labourers and daily wagers elsewhere in the country.
Even, a square meal turned luxury. “We didn’t receive any relief supplies. We went hungry for days,” said Trinath. Finally, he borrowed Rs 7,000 from the contractor to buy a bicycle and embark on a tiring and desperate journey.
Hoping for a better life back home, the couple headed for the State last Saturday. On reaching Govindpalli, some 15 km from Sindhiguda, the couple was stopped by the panchayat secretary and other villagers, who convinced them to act responsibly. “The couple has been housed in a quarantine centre at Govindpalli,” said Khairput BDO Hrudananda Sahu.