JAGATSINGHPUR: Nearly a 100 workers from Balikuda block have been stranded in different areas of West Bengal without food and money.These workers were engaged in a jute mill in Dasnagar of Howrah district when the lockdown came into force. After the factory was closed, its owner refused to pay any remuneration. Besides, the West Bengal Government has not come to the aid of the workers.

“Around 50 workers from Balikuda, Erasama of Jagatsinghpur and Kakatpur of Puri district are stuck in Dasnagar for the last two weeks. We had approached the local councillor for help but to no avail. Almost all of us have run out of money. If help is not provided soon, we will die of hunger,” said Trupti Ranjan Rout, a worker from Netapur in Balikuda block, over telephone.

Similarly, Samir Swain, Bijaya Mohanty, and Prakash Jena of Balikuda are also stranded in a bread factory in Nimita of North 24 Parganas district. “Due to the lockdown, the factory has been shut down. Nearly 40 workers are living in hunger and no one has come our aid,” said Swain.Former sarpanch of Apandara Ramchandra Swain said the workers had sought help from local MLA and Water Resources Minister Raghunadan Das but it yielded no result.