BHUBANESWAR: For Odia migrant workers in Surat, the road back home is fraught with uncertainty. With Supreme Court staying Orissa High Court order that directed migrant workers be allowed entry to Odisha only after testing negative for COVID-19, the ball is now in the State Government’s court.
The Odisha government cancelled three special trains on Thursday from Surat after the HC directive. A day earlier, buses were banned from carrying the migrants. As each day passes by, the disquiet among the workers is discernible.
Without money and unwilling to live on charity anymore, they are restless. Jogi Nahak, who runs a mess in Diamond Nagar area of Surat having the largest Odia congregation, says that he will have to eventually close his establishment as migrant workers - his regular customers - are not able to pay for the last month and a half.
Out of the four lakh migrant workers in Surat from Odisha, 90 per cent belong to Ganjam district. Sushant Raut, a member of Prabasi Odia organisation says in the initial days of lockdown, Gujarat Government provided ration including 10 kg rice, 2 kg dal and other necessities, including oil. It has all run out. Nahak says he cannot run the mess for more days as his resources are also thin by now.
Migrant workers engaged in the looms in Surat are paid every 15 days. Nahak’s two brothers - Chandan and Bipin - work in the looms. Chandan Nahak has left for Odisha, Bipin is stuck there without any job and staying in the mess. Nahak and others including Sanatan Samantray, a teacher at Saraswati Sishu Mandir say many migrants who want to go back are stranded without money, depending on free mess which are going to close down within the week.
The textile industry of Surat has been badly hit as their products, meant for the festive seasons, are left unsold. There is huge payment pending and hence, workers cannot be paid. It’s a vicious circle. When trains started ferrying, people were hopeful of a return. Pankaj Swain, Sushant Swain both from Ganjam district and Shankar, from Odagaon in Nayagarh district, had borrowed money to purchase tickets for homecoming.
They were supposed to board the trains on Friday but their tickets stand cancelled now. All three of them, without money and jobs, have been given shelter in the mess run by Raut. They are unsure if they can buy tickets again if government resumes trains.
Opposition criticism
Opposition Congress and BJP have criticised the Naveen Patnaik Government’s policy vis-a-vis the migrants. Former union Jual Oram wanted to know who gave permission to cancel trains from Surat if Law Minister Pratap Jena went on record saying that the State is yet to receive the High Court order.
Leader of the Congress Legislature Party Narasingh Mishra said that far from reassuring or going that extra mile for the last man standing, the government and institutions have been rather apathetic to the plight of migrant labours. “It seems they are an unwanted lot - both at their work and native places,” he added.