IALA-Pashamylaram shows the way in supporting migrant workers

Industrial Area Local Authority-Pashamylaram (IALA) is showing a way in supporting migrant workers employed in industries under their purview. Pashamylaram, one of the well-known industrial area in Telangana, houses over 450 Industries. While over 50,000 were directly employed in these industries, more than one lakh people were indirectly earning a livelihood by depending on these industries. A considerable number of them were migrant workers who arrived from various States in India and also from various parts of the Telangana.

However, the COVID-19 Pandemic wreaked havoc in the lives of people, who otherwise used to live a peaceful life until then. As the government declared lockdown to contain the spread of the novel Coronavirus, a good number of them took the road to reach their native places on foot. However, a considerable number of them have stayed back. They were residing in Pashamylaram, Chitkul, Isnapur, Lakdaram and Indrakaran villages of Sangareddy district. After hearing the struggles of these migrant workers, who were deprived of work, IALA Chairman, Potti Chandu Kumar, Vice-Chairman, Durga Prasad, General Secretary, Raghava Reddy, Joint Secretary, Surendar Rao, Joint Secretary, GVP Raju and Treasurer, Chiadmarathan visited some of the colonies to take stock of the situation. After seeing the plight of the migrants, the General body members of IALA have decided to support them since many were finding it very difficult to even feed their children. Estimating that there were over 40,000 migrant workers (20,000 families) were still living in these villages, the IALA has decided to procure a gigantic 20,000 essential kits-comprising 8-KG rice, Dal, Oil, Chilli powder, Tamarind, Potato, Turmeric Powder and Sambar Powder. The Kits were prepared by Akshaya Patra Foundation. Speaking to Telangana Today, Chairman, Potti Chandu Kumar has said that they have distributed 2,800 until Monday. Aiming to distribute the kits to about 1,000 people every day, Chandu Kumar has said that they wanted to complete the distribution within a week’s time.

Appreciating the efforts of the Chief Minister, K Chandrashekar Rao in supporting the migrant workers by giving 12KGs of rice and Rs 500 in cash, Chandu Kumar, however, has observed that many migrant workers living in these areas yet to get the benefit. He has appealed the State government to give the same benefit to all the workers so that they can save the people from going hungry at this time of emergency.