Bantwal: Migrant Labourers' Woes Over Unpaid Wages

News & Pics: Mounesh Vishwakarma
Daijiworld Media Network – Bantwal (RD/VA)

Bantwal, Mar 25: The daily wage workers coming from North Indian States of Uttar Pradesh, West Bengal, Bihar and Orissa,  toiling at the fly-over works at B C Road, here are full of complaints.

The workers here are paid very low daily wages as against the promised amount. Some are not even paid a penny for over four to five months. These labourers come here to work in Karnataka, with the hope of earning Rs 110 for 8 hours of work, which would be more than a few rupees that they could earn in their native villages.  They know nothing about the local people, language and now are extremely distressed about their future. 

The labourers boycotted work for two days, demanding their unpaid wages with the contractor.  Owing to the setback of unpaid wages to labourers, the fly-over works that has been going on in snail’s pace for the past 3 years is likely to be delayed further.

Many numbers of sub-contractors are involved in the execution of fly-over works adding to the problems of workers.  National Highway Authority had handed over the contract of executing the works related to laying four-lane and fly-over to IRCON, while the latter awarded sub-contract to Srusti Constructions, for erecting fly-over only. Srusti has sought the services of a certain Rajeev, to supply labourers from Uttar Pradesh, West Bengal, Bihar and Orissa.  Rajeev lured the innocent rural labourers to work in the site at B C Road.  The hapless labourers are facing the uncertain future, owing to the involvement of many companies involved in executing the works.

Each labourer has been fixed a varied amount of wages. The sub contractor has allotted the laying of pipeline near the fly-over to 8 labourers led by a certain Om Prasad, with a monetary consideration of Rs 40,000. The sub contractor has issued the terms of completing the work within a month. However, despite that arrangement, the labourers were unpaid so far, even if they executed the works.

About 35 labourers from northern states are engaged in fly-over works and only few dare to protest demanding their wages.  However, majority of them did not join a few protesting labourers, for fear of losing their accumulated wages. The manpower supplier Rajeev seems to be getting Rs 130 – 150 per labourer for eight hours work from Srusti Constructions, while he only pays Rs 110 per labourer, earning substantial income for his services.  The tragedy is that, Rajeev has not paid his labourers; despite he has collected the huge sum from Srusti.  Rajeev has assured Rs 10 per hour of over time.

The labourers were provided with accommodation and nothing more.  It’s a pathetic life for these migrant labourers to live in rented quarters where they cook food and survive. The rents of their accommodations were unpaid since months.  These labourers approached Rajeev and their supervisor Nitesh, when the landlord threatened of eviction, over overdue rents.  However, the rents were paid and these labourers were saved from drawing to streets.  But the wait for the unpaid salaries is still on.

The concerned authorities should act swiftly, in order to save the poor migrant labourers from unscrupulous manpower supplier and assure security.