Ambernath: This is a story of a 'mother city' that has stopped feeding its children. A group of 40 daily labourers mostly women was spotted near Ambernath, a farfetched suburb of the Mumbai Metropolitan region. The group was headed to Jhabua district in Madhya Pradesh from where they hailed from and had come to the maximum city for work.
However, destination Jhabua is 600 kilometres by road and the group is determined to walk the whole distance. There are no trains or buses that are running as of now. Following, the 21-day nationwide lockdown work has also come to a complete standstill.
When FPJ last heard of them on Friday the group had crossed the Bhiwandi city. On Friday morning, Raju a labourer along with others were walking through a difficult forest like area near Kalyan-Murbad road near Ambernath.
MumbaiRaju is like one of the many casual workers and migrant labourers who have left industrial complex cities like Ambernath after Prime Minister Narendra Modi declared an unanticipated 21- day nationwide lockdown on March 24 night to contain the COVID-19 outbreak in India.
He said that in the wake of the virus a wave of panic has hit the daily wage earners. In the absence of any administrative assistance from the local authorities they must fend for themselves. Going back to their hometowns is the only option left with them.
To add to their already overflowing cup of woes is the fact that bus and train services have come to a screeching halt. Hence, walking remains the only option. The long path is indeed uncertain and treacherous. However, some good Samaritans are offering them food on the way. "There is no food available on the roads but thankfully a few citizens offer us food, biscuits and water.
It’s better to be home than to be here in the city without food and water,” concluded another migrant labourer on the move. Clearly this is just a representative tale of many daily wagers that is repeating with regular continuity in the city since the lockdown is enforced.
