Around 50 labourers from Rajasthan's Dungarpur district are stuck in Delhi's Rohini area and Maharashtra's Nasik district.
According to Jaipur-based social activist Chhaya Pachauli, who is associated with NGO Jan Swasthya Abhiyan, two groups of tribal migrant labourers are not able to move from their temporary shelters in Delhi and Nasik respectively.
Thirty-one labourers, most of whom work in Delhi's dhabas have been putting up in a single room for the last few days as there is no means of conveyance available that can take them to Rajasthan border.
In a video appeal, shared with The Quint, the workers who are also accompanied by women and children, can be heard requesting for immediate evacuation from the national capital.
“We have kids with us and are facing lot of problems. All of us are staying in one room. We want to return back to Rajasthan.”Appeal by group of labourers from Dungarpur
Ever since the nationwide lockdown came into force, beginning from 24 March, a mass exodus of labourers from Delhi and other states has been reported.
With no public transport and means of food available, most of them were seen walking on foot towards UP and Bihar on national highways.
These labourers from Dungarpur, however, claim that the fear of police lathi-charge made them stay indoors. Desperate to reach their destination soon, the two groups in Delhi and Nasik reached out to activists in Rajasthan for help.
Just like Delhi, another group of 22 labourers from Dungarpur are stuck in Nasik. Most of them work as tile-fitting labourers.
Maharashtra has reported five COVID-19 deaths so far. Health activists feel that early evacuation is in the interest of workers, most of whom are putting up in cramped up spaces for now.
“Most of the workers will take routes to reach their final destination with not enough provisions for screening. From the point of view of COVID pandemic, it would be in the interest of workers that a bus picks them up and drops at a single point.”Chhaya Pachauli
The Quint is trying to reach out to concerned officials in Delhi and Maharashtra to ensure safe passage of these workers. We will update the story as and when there is a response.
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