COVID-19: Starvation Rather Than Pandemic Threaten Construction and Migrant Workers in TN

Several lakh construction workers in Tamil Nadu have lost their source of income due to the ongoing nationwide lockdown. Now, with the Chief Minister indicating the possibility of the state moving towards community transmission, the confinement of these workers and their travails are set to extend. The relief measures for the construction workers registered with the welfare boards vary, and the number of beneficiaries could be much less than the actual number of workers. The workers have demanded to extend the relief to all workers, irrespective of their renewal status with the board. 

There are about three lakh migrant workers among the construction workers in Tamil Nadu, who are also stuck without adequate food and lack of income. The apathy from the employers and the highly limited relief provided by the government has left them longing to go back home at the earliest.

BENEFIT EXTENDED TO LESS THAN 50% WORKERS

The state government announced some relief measures on March 24 for the card holders of the Public Distribution System (PDS) and workers registered with the welfare boards. As per the CM’s announcement in the Assembly, the construction workers would be paid Rs 1,000 relief along with 15 kg rice, 1kg cooking oil and 1kg dal. However, the conditions for eligibility to receive this relief are nothing less than shocking. With the state government reducing the allocation for welfare funds and non-payment of benefits for the workers, many workers hadn’t renewed their memberships with the boards. 

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“There are around 32 lakh construction workers registered with the board since it was constituted. As per the letter sent from the secretary of construction workers, the welfare board listed 12 lakh workers and 92,000 pensioners for receiving the relief. This number is much lesser than the actual workers,” said D Kumar, state general secretary of the Construction Workers’ Federation of India (CWFI).

SANCTION RELIEF TO ALL WORKERS

Moreover, even this paltry relief is limited as the pensioners are not entitled for the Rs 1,000 cash benefit as per the notification. Several other workers whose bank accounts are not linked or without bank accounts won’t be unable to receive the cash benefit. The welfare board authorities have attributed the reasons for the reduced numbers to deaths, failure to renew and multiple members in the same family.

“We doubt the drastic reduction in number as per the authorities’ claims. Two members availing the cash benefit could also not cater to the needs for such a long period. In Tirupur district, the number of registered workers is around one lakh while the beneficiaries are around 30,000 only. This itself presents the reality of the extent of relief for the workers,” Kumar added.

The CWFI has demanded the state government to increase the cash relief to Rs 5,000 for workers below 25 years of age and Rs 10,000 to workers above the age. The union has also demanded to extend the cash relief to all pensioners, irrespective of the renewal status.

MIGRANT WORKERS STARING AT STARVATION

Many of the migrant workers are employed on contract with different employers. The state government has announced that these workers can avail dry ration from the PDS shops for free on submission of identity cards. With the native card holders not being supplied with the relief measures in many places, the migrant workers would have to wait for an even longer period. The workers are more worried about the threat of starvation than about COVID-19. 

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Sriram, secretary of Centre of Indian Trade Unions (CITU), Erode district said, “In Panickampalayam in Erode district, there are more than 3,000 migrant workers living in makeshift tents without basic amenities. The employers handed over a small relief immediately after the lockdown, but we are unable to reach them now. The CITU and other organisations are trying their best to find donors to save these starving migrant workers.”

‘MIGRANT WORKERS WANT TO GO HOME’ 

The fear of starvation has resulted in the workers demanding the governments to operate special trains to reach their homes. The cadres of many civil society organisations, CITU, Democratic Youth Federation of India and Tamil Nadu Science Forum are extending all possible help to the poor families including the migrant workers across the state. 

The lack of necessary basic amenities, betrayal of the employers and very limited support from the government has forced them to place such a demand. It should be mentioned that the government of Kerala has extended the relief measures to all ‘guest’ workers without considering the conditions framed in the Interstate Migrant Workmen Act, 1979.

“The state government has to ensure that all the migrant workers are provided with food, shelter and health care facilities. Their fear of starvation cannot be brushed aside as the reality is much worse than what the government claims on the issues of the migrant workers”, Sriram said.

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