“Bijapuri’s” who fled for tsunami are returning back to Udupi

Bellevision Media Network

Udupi, 04 April 2011: Labourers from North Karnataka generally known as “Bijapuri” who are the major source of manpower in the district had all fled after the tsunami hit Japan. They thought that the tsunami has come to Japan and as there is sea in Udupi, may be tsunami will come here too and fled back to their villages in North Karnataka in the earliest available buses. But now all of them are returning back to Udupi and resuming to work.

 

Thousands of labourers from Bijapura, Badami, Bagalkote and other districts of North Karnataka have been working in Udupi district since several years. They are employed in various works including construction projects. It will not be wrong if said that they are the ones who fulfilled the shortages of construction manpower in the district.

 

The contractors of construction work mainly depend on these labour forces. After the March 11 tsunami in Japan these labourers were afraid and fled to their villages. Later the news of “Superman” on March 19 further scared them and they panicked and most of the remaining labourers also fled. This has caused heavy shortage of labour force to the local contractors.

 

Labourers from North Karnataka in Udupi City Bus stand on Sunday evening

 

Since the last 5 – 6 days groups after groups of these labourers are returning back towards Udupi. Now a days they are gathering at Udupi bus stop, Beedinagudde, Nittoor, Indrali and other places. “We are not scared anymore now, earlier somebody had scared us about tsunami…., still about half of the people are yet to come” said some of the labourers from Bagalkot who were gathered near Udupi city bus stand.

 

“We can get jobs only here, we cannot get scared and stay in our native villages anymore” said Mookappa Boodinagade. Most of these people had fled from Udupi for tsunami scare. There are others who had gone on leave for various other reasons too.

 

One of the contractor said that most of his workers are not yet returned back and expecting them to return this week. If they come they will work. There is work for them here even during the rainy days and there are provisions such as leave and other facilities, so they like to work here. Somebody had scared them of tsunami. Since some of them are already returned back, the others might return too… he said.

 

Some of the contractors said that, if they remain in their village and do not return now for scare of tsunami etc, then we will not give them job in rainy season. Now is the season of work and if they are not available it becomes difficult for us. So we have decided that if they do not return and join the work now, we will not give them jobs in rainy season. Let them not get scared of tsunami, let all the workers return back to work, they said.

-Udayavani