S. Mallayya, in his late 50s, has arrived from a remote village in Mantralayam mandal of Kurnool district in Andhra Pradesh. He is not alone and there are another 30 families that are here to pluck cotton balls.
Several migrant workers have also reached here last week from Kurnool, Mahabubnagar and Nalgonda districts to work in cotton fields.
Cotton was cultivated in about 4 lakh acres in Sangareddy district. Every year the farmers pay an advance to the workers to come and pluck cotton balls during the season. The advance ranges between ₹ 30,000 and ₹ 50,000 per couple. They stay here for more than one month and after the plucking season is over, again migrate to Guntur district to collect chilly crop.
Their huts measuring about 8x8 feet are covered with black tarpaulin and that is their dwelling for the next one and half month or so. To attend nature’s call they go to the nearby open fields or agriculture lands. They cook food with the wood available in the neighbouring areas. They have even brought their children with them.
“There is no work in our areas. We are forced to migrate for more than 400 km from our place to make an earning. We earn nothing in our area and the government is not taking care of us. We are unable to buy even a plate of idli to our children. Imagine what our condition is...” says Mallayya. There were about half a dozen children playing in the open area while the parents were busy establishing temporary shelters.
“Schools have not yet opened due to the COVID pandemic and there will be no one who will take care of our children back home. Hence we have brought them here. They stay and play here while we work in the fields collecting cotton balls,” said Alivelu.
However, the migrant workers feel that the plucking season may end early as a large extent of cotton crop was damaged due to the recent rains.
