Migrant fishermen in boats at Puthiyappa harbour. (Photo: Sajan V Nambiar)
Kozhikode: The migrant labourers in fishing industry are struggling to survive after the complete lockdown was implemented. Over 400 labourers are trapped in various harbours across the district at present. Most of them are from Kolkata.
More than 200 boats have anchored in Puthiyappa harbour. The migrant labourers are sleeping inside the boats. Some boat owners provide them food. When the cooking gas stocked for preparing food while fishing in the sea also was exhausted, the workers in some boats are starving. The lockdown will continue for 16 more days. The labourers have no idea of how to survive till then without food and other basic amenities.
There are about 6-15 people in every boat. But they do not have any masks or sanitizers. They also said that no tests including the thermal gun temperature checking were done when the coronavirus threat exists.
"No health officials visited here for even a checkup. Even if we could not go home, we want to stay here safely at least," the labourers said. Some of them have been trapped in the boat for 9 days. A coastal police officer in Elathoor said that one among them was shifted to beach hospital due to fever the other day.
People who came in contact with the labourers also are not subjected to tests. Many of the labourers had returned from home just before the lockdown was implemented. Those at Beypore port returned to their native place while others remain confused over survival.
RELATED STORIES
.jpg?$p=d607ec7&f=1x1&w=100&q=0.8)
IN CASE YOU MISSED IT
.jpg?$p=a5a9640&f=1x1&w=100&q=0.8)
.jpg?$p=c521eaf&f=1x1&w=100&q=0.8)
.jpg?$p=71e446e&q=0.8&f=16x11&w=104)
.jpg?$p=e962c43&q=0.8&f=16x11&w=104)
.jpg?$p=a5a9640&q=0.8&f=16x11&w=104)
