AS the government enforced lockdown to combat the spread of the novel coronavirus, migrant workers, daily wage labourers and unorganised workers in Telangana are facing the brunt – without any work, money and food. As the suffering intensifies with the lockdown being extended, the Party and mass organisations have been in the forefront to help the poor and the needy.

In all districts, rice, pulses, eggs, vegetables, daily essentials, masks, soaps, medicines and sanitisers were supplied costing lakhs of rupees. According to information received so far, 66,000 families have been helped from 30,000 service centres. Food and accommodation are being provided to migrant labourers and daily wage workers. With the help of local voluntary organisations, migrant labourers were given food packets. Daily-needed goods were given to outsourced and contract workers.

Those who are doing daily service without caring for their own life and health like police, panchayat and municipal workers were honoured and given food packets and butter milk. For those working in brick kilns, daily essentials were supplied. Under the auspices of Sundarayya Vignana Kendram, TPSK decided to give food to sanitation workers daily. Migrant workers were also provided with food and water.

The Party has offered its services and cadre to the government in the fight against the Covid-19 pandemic. In different districts, the government has given instructions to appoint party workers as volunteers. In hundreds of villages, our cadre are providing services voluntarily.

SERVICES TO MIGRANT WORKERS
In different towns, workers from other states are working in construction and other private companies. Without any prior arrangements, the lockdown has caused the workers much inconvenience. Particularly, the workers are concentrated in districts like Hyderabad, Rangareddy, Medchal, Nizamabad, Peddapalli, Karimnagar, Asifabad and Mahbubabad.

The Party state unit got several requests from other state units for providing help to the migrant workers. We have guided the district party to provide them services needed immediately. Through respective local party leaders, they were provided shelter and food and other needs. We ensured that they got the 12 kilos of rice, and Rs 1,500 cash. We supplied rice, pulses, vegetables wherever needed. Those who came to Hyderabad for treatment and got stuck due to the lockdown were given rice, fruits, vegetables, and shelter.

People who came from different states are requesting for help in going back to their respective states. Since the lockdown has been extended, we told them that they will be helped to return home after the lockdown is lifted.

The Party is particularly focussed on areas where migrant workers are residing and local workers are in constant touch with them.

Due to the lockdown, normal health services in private and government hospitals have been severely hit. People are facing  difficulty to even reach hospitals while OPD services have been suspended. In this critical situation, a people’s health forum has been formed and a helpline number launched under the initiative of the Party.

About 40 IT experts, 400 different mass organisation volunteers and 250 doctors are working with the forum. Thousands of calls are coming in. This got wide publicity in the media as well. Doctors are giving advice to patients.

Because of the lockdown, blood reserves are down in blood banks. There is no blood in blood banks and hospitals. A blood donation camp was organised by the forum.