No Food, No Work - Migrant Labourers Leave Kashmir By Thousands

Srinagar: As unrest continues in Kashmir Valley, thousands of labourers who came to Srinagar for work from other parts of the country are leaving.

For the last two weeks, Om Prakash Chouhan, a labourer from Bihar, didn't get any work due to the curfew and lockdown. He couldn't even contact his family back home because mobile phone services have also been suspended.

On a good day, Om Prakash earns Rs 450. He couldn't afford to wait any more for the situation to normalize, he said.

"Because of the curfew, we are not even able to get food. The cellphone network has been suspended. That's why we are leaving," he said.

Another labourer, Mubarak from Jharkhand, said they were feeling frustrated because everything has come to standstill in the Kashmir Valley. "Whatever money we had was spent on our food. Now we are going back home," said Mubarak, labourer.

Workers say even getting out of Kashmir has become difficult because of lockdown. "We are sitting here since morning and waiting for a bus. Situation is getting worse with every passing day," said Raja Babu, a labourer.

Over 1 lakh skilled and unskilled labourers from various parts of country come to Kashmir for work every year. With the massive exodus, construction work has come to a standstill.
But the unrest has also badly hit thousands of local daily wage workers, who have nowhere to go.

Severe restrictions have been in place in Kashmir, where protests had started after the killing of Hizbul Mujahideen terrorist Burhan Wani on July 8. In the protests, 47 people -- mostly teenagers and women -- have been killed in firing by security forces. Around 2,500 people have been injured.

Curfew and lockdown had been in place for the last 17 days. The government had also blocked Internet and mobile services in Kashmir.