Labourers go hungry as supplies run dry amid lockdown

Municipal authorities are mobilising tonnes of food supplies to feed 85,000 migrant workers stranded in Bengaluru because of the COVID-19 lockdown, but a shortfall in supplies means thousands are going hungry.

A survey by the Department of Labour has determined that these migrants are staying at 439 locations across the city (many of them construction sites), but the BBMP has asked for further verification of the numbers.

“We have issued directions to the zonal joint commissioner asking for a physical verification and identify the numbers and locations because there is a chance of movement of people,” a BBMP official said.

He pointed out the challenges of feeding the 85,000 migrants as indicated by the Labour department. “Feeding these people three square meals a day means that 2,55,000 meals are required per day for all identified construction labourers in the city,” he said.

The Department of Labour said it was doling out nearly 1 lakh meals per day (in two servings: lunch and dinner, but no breakfast), while the BBMP said that it has been providing 40,000 meals per day for the last two days. This has been augmented by 16 NGOs working in cooperation with the Palike, who are handing out an additional 48,000 to 52,000 meals per day.

“This leaves a deficit of 63,000 meals per day,” the BBMP official said.

While the official acknowledged the role played in bridging the gap by on-the-fly groups of volunteers who have been dishing out food without Palike’s approval since the shutdown transpired, he added there was no accounting of how many such meals were going to construction workers and their families.

“The BBMP also cannot verify the conditions of the kitchens where such food is being prepared,” the official added.

Anger among activists

Civil NGOs which have been dispensing food to migrants and other needy people are furious at the slowness of the bureaucratic machinery.

Dr Sylvia Karpagam, who, with a network of social activists, has been trying to supply rice, vegetables, dal and other cooking materials to migrants, said that the hunger crisis shows the government has not taken responsibility for the hardships caused by the lockdown.

“The rationale of the lockdown is only intended to buy the government enough time to deal with a pandemic it was not prepared for. There has been no plan to ensure that people are not deprived of essentials,” she said.

The BBMP said it and the Department of Labour were procuring one lakh bags of dry foods containing 12 kg of rice with curry powders.

“These rations bags are meant to sustain one person for 21 days. We are hoping they will tide people over the next few weeks,” an official said, adding, however, that the BBMP had not yet begun to supply these rations.