Migrant Crisis in COVID-19: Reaching Out to the Distressed in Doon
TerraGreen|June 2020
Indian migrant workers during the COVID-19 pandemic have faced multiple hardships. With factories and workplaces shut down due to the lockdown in the country, millions of migrant workers had to deal with the loss of income, food shortages, and uncertainty about their future. In this article, Dr. Rakesh Agrawal ‘Ridh’ highlights that in such distressing times individuals and members of many groups in Dehradun decided to form Doon Nagrik Rahat Samuh to extend help to all not getting any relief in this lockout, especially casual labourers, irrespective of any bias.
Dr. Rakesh Agrawal ‘Ridh’
Migrant Crisis in COVID-19: Reaching Out to the Distressed in Doon

Totally shattered, Radha Devi 35, living in ramshackle, derelict tworoom hut in the labour colony, attached to Transport Nagar, Dehradun, was reduced to tears; once again she had to return empty-handed for not finding any work at the truck depot as no goods were coming to the city, following the lockout. She had migrated with her family from Bihar 15 years ago, when the construction boom hit Dehradun. She along with her husband, also a labourer, engaged in loading and unloading goods in trucks, and three children were living on a fringe, but surviving. Now after the nationwide lockdown, even this was threatened, so were millions of other disenfranchised and deprived labourers, mostly migrants, all over India. Radha was shocked to see a group of four people standing outside her hovel, holding a bag. ‘Sakhi (friend), we were waiting Survey by DNRS team for you. Take it and feed your children,’ welcomed Kavita Krishnapallavi of Stri Mukti League.

Stri Mukti League is a Dehradun based forum, working for women’s empowerment. During the present global crisis due to the COVID-19 pandemic they are helping disenfranchised and deprived labourers, mostly migrants, from all over India. They help them by handing them a bagful of dry ration, containing 5 kg wheat flour, 5 kg rice, pulses, sugar, potatoes, onions, oil, spices, salt, soaps, toffees, and biscuits.

This story is from the June 2020 edition of TerraGreen.

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This story is from the June 2020 edition of TerraGreen.

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