Campaign launched to track stranded migrant labourers

KOCHI: When the flood hit across Kerala, families of migrant labourers from various parts of the country, became panic-stricken as they lost communication with their dear ones. As the situation demanded an immediate attention, a collective, ‘Ek Potlee Ret Ki’, came up with Migrant Labourer Tracking System (MLTS), a volunteer-driven campaign to help families of those migrant labourers, who have been difficult to track down.

“Whenever disasters happen, it is usually the marginalised who are the worst hit,” said Aabha Muralidharan, who coordinated the migrant workers’ dwelling in Ernakulam. She works for the collective, Ek Potlee Ret Ki. It all began when the community members, the collective works with, started asking about the whereabouts of their family members, who migrated to Kerala.

“We wanted to make two levels of interventions. First to let family members of the labourers know these people are safe, as they have no connectivity. Second, to get a database of how many people need relief material and financial support. Only then can we approach the respective district administrations for assistance,” said Aabha.  

When the flood situation started worsening, most of the migrant labourers rushed to nearby railway stations and bus stops. “We sent volunteers to find out more about them,” said Radhika Ganesh, one of the founding members of the collective.  Some of the labourers left to their native states during the initial stages of the flood itself. MLTS got in touch with twenty-six migrant labourers. 15 labourers from Uttar Pradesh were found in a factory in Aluva.

“The efforts to procure relief materials from the collection centres are also under way,” said Aabha.  Word has also been sent to the volunteers and coordinators across the state to immediately pass the information to MLTS,  of any migrant labourers they come across.