news details |
|
|
| Pandis ( coolies ) of Jammu | | | Malvika Upadhya | 7/19/2015 12:05:53 AM |
|
Labour and labour issues have received reasonable at
tention since past few years. With the new schemes of
the government like labour cards, new accounts and surakhsha policies labourers tailored new hopes. But, it seems in reality these hopes showed up like night dreams which disappeared with the morning light. In a recent interaction with around 100-200 unskilled labourers the 'pandis' of Rajinder Bazar, Kanak Mandi, warehouse of Vikram chowk, City chowk and the area around Super bazaar it was found that more than 50%(appx.) of the Pandis have no labour cards. Pandis also informed that they are denied accounts in many local banks of the state. Their plea included oppressed status and voicelessness. They complained their days are wasted in running from one counter to the other, filling forms and attending to other formalities but still 'nothing happens'. Being daily wage earners, one day for a pandi values between Rs.200-300 which he earns through hard labour. Failing to achieve which can lead to a foodless day or issues in their month-end payment of rents. Pandi is a local term used to address the loaders. Loaders are the workers who carry loads on their heads and backs. They are found in most of the warehouses, markets, mandis, factories etc. But, they continue to remain unnoticed in the labour market with very rare or no pandi unions. They carry loads between 50kg till a quintal on their heads and backs. Some of them possess 'reras'- hand pulled carts which carry 3-4 quintals of weight pushed by one or two pandis. Pandis push these carts on the busy streets of the bazaars and through city's traffic. They are unskilled manual labourers. But Rasiklal Cholia in his book called 'Dock Labourers of Bombay' argues that carrying such heavy loads is also a kind of skill. But research on loaders is as scarce as pandi unions. Their day starts at 4 in the morning and their search for a heavy cargo/load begins. There is no certain time of finishing the work, the trucks can arrive anytime and hence their work resumes subsequently.
Who decides the rates of loads for these loaders? Well, Pandis have no power to decide the rates on being asked who decides the rates most of them answered the 'maaliks' and 'shahs' decide the rates. Malik and Shah are the local terms used to address the shopkeepers or marketmen for whom these workers work. They are paid from Rs. 2 to 20 for a load ranging between 50kg to a quintal depending upon the distance. All Pandis suffer from intense fatigue, drowsiness and numerous body aches at the end of the day. Many of them have had severe injuries at work including fractures in legs, arms and spinal issues. Most of these pandis are local labourers from Akhnoor, Poonch, Srinagar, Ramnagar and other districts in and around Jammu. Either through community bonds or through inheritance from fathers and elder brothers they have employed themselves in carrying loads. Hence, most of them have been doing this work since generations.
They are able to secure around a monthly income of rupees 2000-2500 for their families after subtracting their own expenses of food and rent. But, since they are informal or 'khule' workers the amount is not fixed it even goes down to a saving of 1000-1500 a month for their families. Their average primary (nuclear) family size includes around 5-7 members. They pay a monthly, weekly or quarterly visit to their families. Most of them stay on rents paying an average of 500 per person a month including electricity while others stay in local shops. The rising expenses of food and most of them being the only earning member in their families makes this work more stressful for them. Despite performing a life-threatening job, there are no medical aids available for these labourers at work. Climbing dhakkis, walking on roads with heavy loads in blazing sun or extreme winters is not an easy job hence injuries, nausea and day-long sickness remains a regular component of their health. They bear their entire medical expense themselves with least help from any private or governmental body. Many of them have short life spans or live a painful old-age with worn out bodies, exhausted flesh, many worries and helplessness. 'A state of miseries and hopelessness' is a commonly identified attitude among the pandis. Most of them have accepted it as their destiny. During my fieldwork an old pandi came and said "have you seen a donkey, madame ours is the same condition, we can't protest, we can't say anything, there's no help, no godfather-godmother for us. We load and unload goods; we lose and unloose our life every day. Not for anyone else but ourselves, our hungry bellies and our poor children." Hearing him I was reminded of the famous proverb of Jacques Rousseau 'man is born free but is in chains everywhere'.
In this scenario of basic absence of proper drinking water, primary bank accounts, difficult living-working conditions and basic medical aids we are posing ambitious schemes like Suraksha bima yojana, Atal pension Yojana, Jeevan Jyoti yojana and others. The question remains trivial do we actually see a hope of these workers ever receiving anything out of these plans and policies. Will the labour department respond to the concerns of these pandis well, these questions lie open ended. To be honest it seems poverty is a state of being captivated inside a black hole. Jan Breman once pointed out "there's nothing to celebrate about poverty, it's a state of helplessness and hopelessness". Nevertheless, as humans let's hope their pleas get attended, some hearts melt somewhere and their issues are addressed. May the big promises feed the little bellies of these labourers. |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| |
| |
|
|
|
|
 |
|
|
|
|
STOCK UPDATE |
|
|
 |
| BSE
Sensex |
 |
| NSE
Nifty |
|
|
| |
CRICKET UPDATE |
|
|
|
|
| |
| |
|
|
| |
|
|
|
|
| |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
