Pune Chattria (35) of Sardhapur village of Khariar block in Nuapada district is speechless. Her husband Debendra died on Friday last in a hospital in Chennai. She was informed that Debendra died on the way while going in a brick loaded tractor to deliver brick. Pune was taken to the hospital to see the dead body. “I do not know what happened. I was not in a state to ask about the cause of death. I saw his face only,” said Pune. The body was burnt in Chennai on the same day by employer Sampat Seth.
Pune and her 5-year-old daughter were put into a train to return to their village. Debendra was paid Rs30,000 by a labour contractor to work in a brick kiln in Chennai. He went there with his wife and younger daughter Triveni in January. 12- year- old daughter Kanti was left in the village alone to look after the house. “We have been going to Chennai for last five years, but I never knew the location of the kilns. This time we were in a place called Hatipeta,” said Pune. She also added that her husband was healthy and there was no illness.
Debendra was a marginal farmer with one acre of agriculture land in the village. “We had no employment after the harvesting of paddy; so my husband decided to migrate. Now, we do not know how we shall lead our lives,” Pune said. “More than half of our villagers have migrated to Chennai, Hyderabad and Mumbai. Employment is not available in the village, so they are forced to migrate,” said Jogeswar Chhatria of the village. He has sent his daughters — Tankeswari and Khageswari to Chennai to work in the brick kiln. “There is no other way,” he added.
Most of the households in Sardhapur are under BPl who need regular employment to earn their livelihood. But unfortunately, job is not available. A private cement pipe making factory located at a distance of 5 km provides employment to a few people. A few women collect and sell firewood and the rest of the villagers either migrate or sit idle,” said the villagers.
“Six persons of our village have died in their workplaces in unnatural conditions in the past. Still others are migrating,” said the villagers. As per information of people, three deaths have occurred in last four years due to migration. “Tekaram Sabar was electrocuted in a brick kiln three years back; Pustam Sabar also died there. Gagan Sabar arrived here having illness and died a day after his arrival,” they added.
It is evident in the village as well as from Government records that there is no employment generation work in the village in the current year. An irrigation dam, now under construction through Minor Irrigation department, employs machines to dig earth. There prevails a feeling of hopelessness within the people. The villagers are now worried that Pune would not be getting the benefit under National Family Benefit Scheme (NFBS) because she has not obtained any death certificate from the authorities in her work place. Her daughter Kanti, who is now reading in class VII, said she might have to leave her schooling to help her mother to manage the house.