Migrant workers say lockdown has made life difficult for them

As the nation-wide lockdown entered the third day, life for migrant workers in various parts of Kerala, with no wages, is an uphill task.

Many workers staying at Pullad in Pathnamthitta complained that they had to go without food in the past two days and wanted to return to their respective states.

"We want to go back to our homes. We do not want to die here," a worker from north India said and appealed to the state government to arrange a bus to take them home. "We are daily wage workers. When there is no work, how will we get money?" he asked.

"We want to go home to be with our parents. We will manage some how there. We do not know the language here," the man said in Hindi. Another worker said they came out of the building asking for help from police, but were driven away.

"We are not getting anything. We do not have money as there is no work," he added. In Kannur, hundreds of people from neighbouring Tamil Nadu gathered at the collectorate on Thursday to tell the district authorities their woes.

The Additional District magistrate met them and said arrangements had been made for them to provide food in community kitchens. Food kits would also be distributed, the official said.

The workers, including many women, were insisting on returning to their homes to see their children. "We have told that we cannot go now due to the lockdown," she said.

Some of them had tried to leave for TN in a lorry, but were stopped.