WHILE Tripura is under a lockdown to combat the coronavirus, some parts of the northeastern state were devastated by gale and unprecedented hailstorm. One of the worst affected areas was Jampaijala sub-division of Sepahijala district. This sub-division is largely tribal populated and its headquarters is 50 km from the state capital, Agartala.

SOON AFTER the lockdown was declared on March 24, here in Delhi we were informed by the West Bengal state leadership of the CPI(M) that a large number of migrant workerswere making distress calls to their contacts in the Partyback home and seeking help. In consultation with comrades in West Bengal, it was decided that contacts of our trade union leaders in Delhi would be passed onto the workers in distress. Within two days, the numbers were shared amonghundreds of workers who in turn passed them on to their colleagues from other states, similarly strandedin Delhi.

THE working people, especially those engaged in the informal sector in Himachal Pradesh, like in many other states, have had to pass through a tough time during the period of lockdown. The main sufferers have been outsourced workers in government departments, casual workers, part-time workers, MNREGA workers, and workers engaged in construction activities, domestic helps and hotel workers, workers engaged in lifting of garbage and cleaning sewage, porters, hawkers, street vendors and many others. The worst affected during the lockdown, however, are the construction and MNREGA workers.

SHIMMERING discontent among the daily wage earners, poor people, transport workers, and unorganised sector workers, rural peasants and agriculture workers came to the fore as they responded in a big way at the call of CITU, AIKS, AIAWU, AIDWA, SFI, DYFI and raised the collective war cry,  ‘provide  ration instead of speeches’. The slogan reverberated all across Bihar on April 21.

LEFT Front and mass organisations in West Bengal, while delivering relief as much as possible to the poor and stranded people, have also raised their voice on burning questions of peoples’ life and livelihood.