RAJKOT: Bhura Ahmed, a la borer engaged in. relief work it Bhadan Talav in Surajbari village in the drought hit border district of Kutch would have been alive today had his wages not been de layed. The 50yrold toiled for two Weeks and died of hunger on Fri day.

Villagers, who were returning from a day’s work at the relief camp, said they had not been pack wages for three weeks. A woman Sakina Ibrahim, feared the labors would meet the same fate their wages were delayed.

The entire population of about 300 Muslim laborers depends on manual work to make a living. None of them possesses any farm land in Surajbari, located on the left of the national highway No.8. Some 55 km away from Morvi Salt marshes on the empty creek Provide jobs but the drought has affected manufacturing and the villagers,

Relief work at the village began onJanuary8.Asmany as 78 people in the morning and 83 in the afternoon reported for work. The very next day Bhura broke down and died. In all 28 books were issued to the laborers. Tree other names, including the deceased’s wife, figure in the gang men diary No.093069 along with Bhura, as per the notes made in the diary. They were paid Rs.102.90 for the work they had put in during the week, from January 8 to 14. The Bang was paid Rs.85.85 for the work done in the next work, ending January 21. The diary records the measurement of work (in terms of the depth, width and length of the assigned digging of pit) but does not indicate the man-days put in by the gang No.7 Similarly, it does not show any payment made for the work.

Hajraibai, the frail, childless widow of Bhura, looks much older than her age 45, recorded in the diary. The amount the couple had seamed for two weeks toil was roughly Rs 100, said the woman. How is she going to survive? “huyn raja” (death) kari jaish jo rotlo nahim mate 10″, (I will also i did not get food), the moving skeleton says in her dialect. She cats if someone gives her something to eat, otherwise she goes to sleep after drinking water, points out a local youth, Hosts of people, including Sadiq Mamad, Nek Mamad, Haider Dowed Vira, Majri Mamad, Abdul Vimad and Sakina brahim, plead with these correspondents t0 do something so that they could buy flour. “Aamri baviri bavime marva karan badhayne ek zaike mari nakho”, a woman from a crowd says in anger.

Sarpanch Suleman Mamad Saicha, appeared a seasoned politician, as he returned to the village from Mora. Commenting on Bhura death, he maintains that he had given an application  on behalf of the deceased to the Tahati to enable Bhara to get on old age pension from the govern ment, He also expresses his readiness to confirm the move with the Tahari. According to him, he had represented to the calcuka officials over the issue of delayed payment to laborers. But the officials told him, according to his version that since the government had not released the grant, it was not possible for them to pay.

The in charge taluks development officer (TDO) of Bhachav, P.M. Chaudhar seemed to be completely ignorant about Bhuras death. During the talk with these correspondents at his residence in Bhachau, he maintains that no one has died of hunger in his taluka. Similarly he asserts that there was no complaint about the payment.

He however explains that at least two weeks times involved in the payment, as the different government agencies were engaged in the management of relief work. Explaining that Rs.15 or the amount for the specified work, whichever less, has been the criterion used for the payment.

The two admit nobody draws the maximum prescribed single day wage. He insists that an amount of Rs6,81.560 was paid till February 15104,947 laborers t31 different relief works in the taluka, When asked specifically about Sugajbari, Chaudhry claimed figure, which is of course not corroborated by the gang diaries in the possession of laborers

Article extracted from this publication >> February 28, 1992