By: C.P. Singh, Editor-ICN Group
PART: 12
It is obvious that every activity will remain closed during the entire period of “ Lock – Down “ . It is easy to say and listen but really very much perturbing to deal , feel and zeal in it . Once everything is closed , where and what a worker will do ? Every such work oriented person is being persuaded or hinted at the main gate of the factory . Though they can not understand such unprecedented reality , they are forced to know and follow it .
When Workforce of Factories was Said To Go Out
Though the Government has issued guidelines to facilitate , take care and pay to work force even then most of the factories disowned their doers . A big question stood in front of workers , which they could not reply or solve . The employers for whom they ever worked , simply said that , “ Since factory is closed , there is no work for any of you , hence you people can wait outside or go . We can not arrange your stay , food or anything else for the period when factory is closed ”. Just imagine , the plight of those workers , who gave their days and nights , who offered their full abilities to do everything for that factory , which is locked down under natural calamities .
Closed are the doors of the entrepreneurs, where they ever worked , since long , to earn foods ,
They left their natives, they left their parents, they left their brothers, sisters and friends too, for .
The livelihood they are earning by putting their all being, into the factory , in any of their moods,
Can any word or phrase describe the real grief of that being , we call worker , under this cool mar ?
And the owner says them to wait unpaid till it reopens or move away . Nothing can be done for this period when company is not doing anything .Then what could those workers have done . There was no transport to carry them to their native place . There was no food left with them for many days to come . There was no money with them to carry on and no hope for tomorrow’s earnings . They were having their families to maintain and feed . Moreover there was no hope that this situation will improve in near future. Then the helpless workers started their journeys on foot .
No food in the hut , erected on the site , no money in possession to buy any required thing ,
No roadside vendors, no hawkers, yes nothing is open to beg any help from, but tears’ intact .
They could not even weep openly as none was there to see them so , even owner their king ,
Stood their respiring body unthinking , unmoved , as if, they became of no where , yes , in fact .
They were left by all , who were present there from years together . They have already left their native place to work and earn living away . Now in this time of calamity , they were having road as their floor and the sky as their roof . Their belongings were with them to carry . Empty became their stomachs, exhausted all energy but a hope and enthusiasm they held with .
Helpless became they , unheard they stood at the closed door of site of their routine ,
They looked at their employer ,stared at the factory , viewed their hut , took family and .
Started on foot , measuring uncounted miles , looking sky and kids , as never earlier seen ,
Everything was unknown to them , even their tears and sweat travelling from top to sand .
When Market Got Closed .
Too much hope sustains in the minds , till the markets are open . Though the markets are not giving anything to anyone for free , even then people feel them like their life lines . So many families of our society are buying regularly from the market , but are not paying at once . They pay it later on . This makes these markets live helpers for them .Once these markets closed , one more friend in deed , appeared to have been gone . This too prompted them to move from there anyhow .
Once markets got closed , there was no place to expect for anything , they usually need ,
Even drinking water became costly thing in their era of crisis , till Government reached .
Much more was done by the administration and social helpers , even then felt less feed ,
Even deaths of Corona were less in news than these workers on the roads , so breached .
When Every Shop was Closed
Generally , many shops remain closed every day in any market , for this reason or that . Even then no one bothers , because market remains open . Not today, but it will open tomorrow , no problem , remains the thinking . But during this “ Lock – Down “ each and everything was closed , including those shops which are maintained in residences and are being operated from those houses themselves . Such shops are like life lines for many of our society . Their closure was also very disgusting for them . Poor , jobless, penniless , helpless , they started on foot for their native villages . Disgusting it was .
Nothing was available to them , no job , no money , no food , no place to rest , but road’s anger,
A journey , which they never took on foot earlier , but were forced to measure it by their steps .
They were to carry their kids and belongings , they were to console their acute thirst and hunger,
They did a history , they created a lesson for all to learn , before reaching their eager door steps .
When Every Conveyance Stopped
Just imagine , why to imagine ? we all have seen and perceived it all , ourselves . It was ‘never before situation’ in front of every one . No means of transport on the road . Nothing coming from our back side . No one seems arriving from front . And above all , there was no hope that any conveyance will appear in near future . This was really very disgusting for one and all on those roads .
Ever enlarging roads , having no vehicle on them, either , without any hope to see them soon ,
None arriving , going or halting , to pick or leave anyone , neither personal nor public transport .
But those hungry workers sent back by their owners , are their village bound , be it morning noon ,
Everyone of us has seen this for the first time, a living crowd on roads representing industrial abort .
World go on saying , “ Hope is the main ray of life “ . None can even dream that I am on the road and I will not get any conveyance for months together . And it happened with them , who were on the roads , on foot , along with family and children , without food and water , and also without any hope for that . They kept measuring thousands of miles by their feet. They continued , they went on .
Every life runs and remains alive with a hope for betterment in days or tome to come ,
Situations may vary from time to time but the present one is calamity that is unique one .
Children are there with their parents , they all are tired , thirsty , hungry even awe -some ,
Once they reach, will make a history , which they are writing on the roads and sky so done .
When Small Works on The Roads Were Unavailable .
Usually , every road has got so many works to do . Any worker with one’s own skill , if moves on the road , gets some work or the other into it . Does it . Gets something . Eats a bit and moves on . This practice prevails for a worker on any long road , in normal days. But , during lock – down , nothing was there on the roads . When any worker who has been told that the factory in which he used to work for so many years , has been closed for indefinite period . When this will reopen only then there can be a job . This seems to be uncertain for everyone .
Our roads are ever displaying the skills of people around , who perform and live there ,
These roadside ventures are ever helpful to the persons travelling on it then and now .
People are sure to get life needed stuff , so as to eat , drink and go any day , any where ,
It irks and perturbs anyone , who is on road on foot , when everything is closed , any how .
Only road was there and these road stars of the time . They could not get any job . They could not get anything else as well . Yes , some persons were making their photographs to be posted here and there with various comments . Should every such photographer or anyone who saw them trembling on roads along with their families and young ones , offer them water to drink ? Alas ! The worker has been asked to come to the factory only when it restarts , and he is on the road to go to his native place , along with his children and belongings .
Our Society do have many , who are eager to take photos of every ill fated and troubled person ,
A thirsty person needs water and hungry some food , they are sad , please feed them , if you can .
Please do not make a fun out of any one’s anguish , they are symbols of pain , sorrow and arson ,
Yes , come and help them reach their native place , make them eat some and drink water or tan .
Hence Labourers were seen aimless on The Roads
Everyone in the society is lamenting the plight of such migrated workers on the road . Suppose I am on the road anyhow , I saw twenty persons moving on the road . Many women and children are also there . Should my humanity not cry to offer them water to drink ? Before making their photographs , should I not offer them biscuits , breads , water , sanitizer , soap and masks etc ?
The Humanity started lamenting , seeing their pathetic conditions on roads, with their owns,
Every eye was flooded with tears, just seeing this plight, though many helping hands were too .
May I be there, where they are going on the road , must try to offer them water etc, as knowns,
A little humanity, a little to eat, some gentle words and to be with them for a while, even un woo .
Yes , I might not have sufficient means to do this , even then , whatever possible easily , that was the call of the situation . I must help them , if possible .They are moving on the road . They are hungry and thirsty on the road . Their children are also there with them . One person took their photograph , posted it on social media and given a title to it as , “ They are walking aimless on the road . “ Are they really ?
May be I am not having sufficient means , even then , thinking is eager to help these saddeneds ,
Whatever one can in the situation , is the call of time , just be with them for a while to console .
When our Government has thrown everything for the poor and troubled, to meet their both ends ,
It is our pious duty to help our fellow human beings confronting with calamities in troubled role .
Every work Stopped . Every Worker Freed
We seldom know how many persons are there around us every day , every time , who are regular service providers . Work is going on in routine and no one bothers . But as soon as everything is closed , we realize the difference. How many thousands are the persons in a big city, who are ironing our dresses ? How many thousands are the road vendors? How many are the the Rickshaw pullers and so on .
In our day to day life , we never even think about so many aspects , which are visibly unseen,
They are ever at our service , doing everything , to make our routines as better as we desire .
Their deeds are good, their sincerity noteworthy, making them essential, from years has been,
We rarely think about them , even when they are our integral parts , for their services we hire .
We usually see so many roadside shops which provide tea , sweets , refreshments, ice creams , fast food etc, all got closed .They generally do not belong to that big city . They come from distant villages and live here in roadside temporary huts with their families. Once their very purpose to live here , has been closed , they are forced to go back to their villages . Now neither they are here , nor are live their temporary huts . Everyone is unbothered about them under Lock – Down but , when the thing become normal , they and their services will be required and remembered .
The present closure of everything did harp on the prospects of so many road side vendors ,
They basically belong to their distant natives , which they leave to earn their livelihood here .
Once their basic purpose seems abandoned , their life here became as of undesired ganders,
They fled for their villages , but they and their services will be earnestly required as normal pare.
Public transport being closed even then The Government provides so many facilities like free food , daily ration , vegetables and cash to facilitate them to run their so standstill life . Even some special conveyance is made available to send them safe to their native villages . These arrangements are done and implemented in mass and on large scale so there remains some possibilities of shortcomings and mismanagements . These persons on roads become very much troubled at times .
Our Country came forward to provide them every parental care to run their routine living,
Food , grocery , cash and also special conveyances to help them reach their native places .
Even then, for this reason or that , they were seen very uneasy on roads, under self riving ,
When all are helping them , none to blame for it , only time and situation generated lashes .
……….. To Be Continued …….
