Even as disturbing pictures of how migrant labourers are being tortured and forced to work in inhumane conditions are emerging from time to time, there is no let up in labour migration from Odisha.
As per the latest reports, over 50 labourers have migrated from Gariaghat Sahi under the Narayanpatna block of Koraput to Andhra Pradesh.
According to sources, a labour contractor took the labourers out of the state in a mini truck. It has been alleged that the people of the locality are forced to go out of the state in search of work as they don’t get any work in their locality.
“We are not getting any work. We are six to seven members in our family. How we will manage things? We know the troubles involved, yet we are going. When we were told they would give us Rs 600 a day, three meals and take care of us, we agreed to go,” said a labourer.
Echoing the same, another labourer said, “As we are not getting any job here, we are facing problems. So we are going to Andhra. As he said he would take our care, we are going.”
No reactions were received from the district administration.
Earlier last month, 80 labourers from the same Narayanpatna area were rescued at Chilibalsa gate on the Andhra Pradesh-Odisha border while being taken to Andhra Pradesh.