Mangalore - Port City, a labourers’ paradise

DHNS

Surathkal, 10 May 2012: Persons from Bihar, Orissa, Jharkand earn a minimum of ` 200 a day as against ` 50 in their hometowns.

 

The MSEZ work which requires a huge number of contract workers, has highest number of workers from the states outside Karnataka.

 

These workers who are taken to the work site in the morning in the vehicles reserved for the transportaion purpose, return from their work in the evening and take shelter in the rooms given to them by the contract company.

 

These hard workers who rarely take leave from their work, are dedicated and earn their livelihood in Dakshina Kannada district.

 

Majority of these workers are from Jharkand, Bihar, Orissa, Uttaranchal, Punjab and other states. The workers also come from North Karnataka and for these workers, Mangalore has turned out to be a work paradise.

 

Speaking to Deccan Herald, a worker Yadhu Rao Bosle from Jharkand called Mangalore as a heaven for work. “If I work in my home town, I would get free tea and meals and wage of maximum Rs 50 with which I can not really manage my home.

 

On the other hand, if I work here as a contract worker, I would get minimum Rs 200 wage per day while some times, it would reach Rs 300 and 400 too. Our food and shelter is looked after by the company.

 

As I do not have to spend my salary for except a few needs, I can take home lot of money when I return,” he says.

 

Narrating his life story, another worker Ramparwesh said that he owned six acres of land in his village and the yield was considerably good.

 

But the government broke his dreams as the villagers’ lands were acquired for the construction work of a company. “We were not given employment and we have been forced to fight for our rights. In this background, I have come here to work hard and earn money and I am happy with my work,” he said.

 

These workers from outside the State are experts in civil work like painting, flooring, tile fixing, land digging, land levelling etc. The workers who work in a team, finish the assigned job promptly in the given time.

 

Despite they being given weekly off on one day a week, they arrive at the site and work for at least half a day. In fact, most of the hotels in Surathkal too have young employees from outside the State.