Lockdown-like mass exodus? Several Odia migrants leaving this city

More than seven lakh Odia workers work in Surat’s textile and power loom sectors. Due to the rising gas and food and gas prices many are opting to take trains back home.

migrant workers surat — Lockdown-like mass exodus? Several Odia migrants leaving this city – Why are they going back home? | AI Image

Lockdown-Like Mass Exodus? Surat – known for its diamonds and textile factories – is a major destination for migrant workers from Odisha who come here for jobs in different sectors. More than seven lakh migrant workers work in the city’s textile and powerloom sectors with a daily income between Rs 300 and Rs 700. This income is insufficient for the workers to cover the skyrocketing prices of LPG and food, due to which several migrant workers are leaving the city and going back home.

What Did Migrant Workers Say?

According to 36-year-old Sudarshan Mahakud, who hails from Ganjam’s Buguda, he came to the Diamond City in November this year but is now planning to return home due to the skyrocketing prices of LPG triggered by the ongoing conflict in West Asia. Sudarshan works in the power loom sector.

“For the last three weeks, we’ve been finding it very difficult to arrange for cooking gas. Since most of the workers don’t have a regular LPG connection, they depend on 5 kg from the black market. They now charge Rs 500/kg to refill, which is also not available easily,” Sudarshan Mahakud told The Indian Express.

However, Sudarshan is not the only one who has decided to leave Surat amid rising LPG gas and food prices. Hundreds of Odia workers are opting to take trains back homes, as per a report by the Indian Express. Most of these migrant workers work in textile mills and the power loom industry.

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Over 7 Lakh Odia Workers Employed In Surat

More than seven lakh Odia workers work in Surat’s textile and power loom sectors on a daily wage of Rs 300-700 per day. This income is insufficient to cover the rising costs of LPG gas and food. Due to this, hundreds of migrant workers are opting to take trains back home.

“For 2-3 days, we used wood to cook food outside our room but we were prohibited from doing so by the landlords. They didn’t even allow the use of an induction stove. We had no other option but to return to our home,” 27-year-old Rakesh Roul, who hails from Ganjam, told Indian Express. He has been working in the city for four years.

Rakesh and his five roommates do not know when they can return to Surat amid the ongoing uncertainty over the conflict.

For several migrant workers, rumours of a possible Covid-like lockdown are the major reason for their return. However, Union Petroleum and Natural Gas Minister Hardeep Singh Puri rejected the false claims, but the rumours persist.

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The Times Of Bengal