Stranded labourers are one of the worst affected due to the lockdown enforced as preventive measure against Covid-19. However, the Dharwad district administration ensured that the sufferings of such labourers, who were stuck in the district, were minimised.
With the abrupt disruption of transportation on March 24, more than 415 labourers, including 15 women labourers, were forced to stay back in the twin cities of Hubballi and Dharwad. Majority of them were construction and agricultural labourers, who could not go back home. For the first three days, the labourers were forced to live on food provided by the Samaritans.
Realising the threat the labourers could pose in spreading of Covid-19, Deputy Commissioner Deepa Cholan instructed the Social Welfare Department and District Industries Centre officials to start as many rehabilitation centres that were required to house the stranded labourers. In three days, the administration converted nine hostels across the twin cities into rehabilitation centres and each hostel housed nearly 45 persons, so as to maintain social distancing norms and for providing better facilities.
The labourers are being provided breakfast, tea, lunch and dinner, since March 30.
What earned the appreciation for the district administration is the idea of DC and ZP CEO Dr B C Sateesh, of utilising the State Disaster Response Fund (SDRF) to provide all the 415 labourers a pair of Khadi dress that was prepared in no time by the workers at Garag Khadi Gramodyog, a government supported body that provides raw materials to the only authorised national flag manufacturing facility at Bengeri.
“Many of the stranded labourers had only one pair of dress to wear. Along with the freshly stitched dress we also received our personnel hygiene kit including a cotton towel, soap, brush, paste and other toiletries,” said Thomas Martin, a cook from Udupi who was stuck in Hubballi.
The district administration after communicating with its counterparts in other districts also ensured that 144 stranded labourers from 17 districts of Karnataka returned to their home in 10 NWKRTC buses and mini-buses. Each bus had a nodal officer, who dropped the labourer only if they had someone to receive the labourers at their home. The rehabilitation centre is also housing destitute and people with physical and mental disabilities.
Dharwad Social Welfare Department Joint Director N R Purushotham said as on April 29, Dharwad has 278 labourers, including 104 workers from outside the State, receiving hospitality at the nine facilities. Efforts are being made to ensure that the stranded labourers reach their destination at the earliest, he said.