JOIN USCoronavirus lockdown: Labour department's three gruel centres feed 1,000 labourers daily
Labour department’s three temporary gruel centres in Panjimogaru, Kavoor junction and Marakada have been feeding nearly 1,000 starving migrant labourers daily.
The gruel centres, completing a week on Wednesday, should have been set up as soon as the Central government declared a lockdown across the country to contain Covid-19, said migrant labourers.
The eyes of migrant labourers turn misty on recollecting the many days they and their children had gone to bed with empty stomachs.
“But, the government has finally set up such centres and we welcome it,” stressed Amir, who hails from Badami.
These centres, located in government schools, provide breakfast, lunch and dinner.
“As vegetarian food is served in these three centres, it is cooked by Akshara Dasoha teams,” sources told DH.
These centres initially faced many teething problems. Amir says when he visited the centre on the first day, the staff had refused to provide food.
“They said the centre served food only to labourers from northern parts. So I left the place humiliated, vowing never to come back,” Amir recollected.
A labourer from Bihar said initially they were not aware of the centre. After the centre gained popularity by word-of-mouth, he had visited the centre. But he was sent away as he did not have Aadhaar card.
Sources in the Labour department asserted that Aadhaar card was mandatory for one-time registration and issuing food coupons.
Many labourers expressed disappointment that the food should be consumed within the school premises.
“We were prevented from carrying the food to our homes in order to feed small children,” he lamented.
On Tuesday, local Bajrang Dal leaders led by Vijay, facilitated discussions between the staff and migrant labourers.
“Following the discussions, the staff relaxed rules and allowed labourers to display the Aadhaar card number on their cellphones,” Vijay told DH.