In a sign that hunger is overtaking daily wage workers in the slum settlements of Dehradun, almost half of those surveyed by a workers’ movement this week said that they will run out of saved rations and money within three days under present conditions.
Lockdown extension
The COVID-19 pandemic and the lockdown imposed to contain it have deprived most daily wage workers of their livelihood. As originally announced, the lockdown is supposed to last another week, till April 14, but the Centre and State governments are mulling an extension.
Chetna Andolan, a movement which includes a 7,000-strong informal workers’ union, surveyed 282 families living in 14 slums or bastis on April 5 and 6.
They were asked how many days their food ration would last under the current circumstances where they were not receiving any wages.
They found that 128 families (45%) could not manage beyond three days, while 12 families (43%) said they could manage for another week. Only 33 families (12%) said that they would be able to cope for two more weeks.
