Report and Pics by Hemanath Padubidri
Daijiworld Media Network – Udupi (RD/SP)
 
Udupi, Oct 9: Most of the workers engaged in the construction industry here are the migrant labourers from north Karnataka and the agriculture in their home districts was devastated because of the recent floods. Because of this, there has been an exodus of the labourers to their home districts. Because of this phenomenon, both the construction and farming sector in the district is facing an acute shortage of labourers. 
 

The severity of floods in their mother land across the north Karnataka has forced the migrant labourers toiling across the district here, to return to their native villages to help the family in re-building their houses and to restore normal life. 
 
The farming in the coastal districts was going on smoothly in the past, since there were enough helping hands within the family and there was no dearth of labourers.  However, owing to the changed circumstances, when majority of family members have left in search of greener pastures in Indian metros and abroad, the farming has become heavily dependent on the migrant labourers.  The migrant labourers from north Karnataka also posed stiff competition to the native labourers, since the migrant labourers earn a daily wage of anything from Rs 200 to Rs 250.  The number of migrant labourers, who are cited in groups in bus stands across the undivided Dakshina Kannada district, has dwindled after the floods in north Karnataka.  A few of the migrant labourers who have remained here go through the dailies, to catch up with the news of their abodes in native villages of Uttar Karnataka.  Although the paddy crop here is ready to be harvested in the district here, the shortage of farm-labourers has caused a setback to the agricultural activities.