NASHIK :
As Maharashtra continues to observe the extended lockdown to stymie the spread of the coronavirus pandemic, the fractures of the lockdown have severely impacted the fragile livelihoods of not only the poor migrant labourers who were dependent on their day to day activities to feed themselves and their families, but also the middle and higher income earners, garnering monthly salaries around Rs 20,000 and Rs 25,000.
On the stretch of Aurangabad road, Ghoti and Pimpalgaon, where volunteers, NGOs, policemen and other organisations have come forward to aid the efforts of the government in feeding the needy and thousands of hungry, jobless migrant labourers who set out on journey back home on foot during these testing times.
Former president of Nashik Group of Giants Pride, Sandeep Bhattad accompanied by several volunteers, while serving food to the migrants since April 25, said that he came in contact with the migrants most of them were basically daily wage earners but what he had surprised the most was that there were many migrant labourers set out on foot whose monthly earnings varied between Rs 20000 and 25000 and who had possessed costly mobile phones worth around Rs 15000 to 20000.
The labourers when asked by volunteer Sandeep about there leaving the job despite good earning, echoed that due to job insecurity and health reasons they left the job. While some revealed that their employers instructed them to leave the place as they could not afford them due to impact of lockdown on their revenue. The employers also asked them to take their own decision and that they cannot help them any more in their livelihood. However the former NGO member also cited mob psychology as one of the reasons for their leaving the job despite good earning capacity.
The NGO was serving food including buttermilk from Panjarpola and bisleri water bottles, daily since April 25 to several migrants who had set out on journey on foot from cash-rich belt of Pune, Alegaon phata, and Mumbai towards MP, UP, Bihar, Gujarat, Jharkhand and Orissa via Nashik.
Several women volunteers were also seen serving 25 to 30 tiffin boxes containing four food items and 4 chapatis, while some individual youngsters also shown compassion towards the migrants by serving food regularly.
“What we have witnessed during this crisis situation, is a sheer love, compassion and mercy of Nashikites towards these migrants without any expectation,” added Sandeep Bhattad.
