Sambalpur(Odisha): Nearly 50 families who live in shacks at Nuapalli village in Sambalpur district have one more problem to cope with now after river erosion and demonitisation.
The mere Rs. 3,000 to Rs. 4,000 they earn a month as bidi binders is not enough for a living. Now, COVID-19 lockdown has robbed them of even that sum.
The factories which provide them with raw materials and Bidi making leaves are now closed due to the ongoing lockdown which was extended for another 18 days on 14 April following the announcement of Prime Minister Narendra Modi. Owing to the lockdown, the bidi binders are left with no source of earning for living.
As per reports, a meagre financial assistance of Rs 1000 being provided to some families by the government is insufficient to support them and their dependants. On the other hand, some families are unable to fetch the amount from their bank, as it is located far away from their village and they have no means to reach there.
According to labour union leaders in the district, nearly 80,000 bidi workers belong to Sambalpur district alone. Fifty percent of the workers are registered labourers who are receiving a limited amount from government is not enough for the survival. While some families are deprived of that even that amount as they are not registered labourers.
Earlier, there were about 40 to 50 bidi factories in Sambalpur district, presently only 12 of them were running. But those 12 factories are also shut due to the lock down.
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