While change in lifestyle and stiff competition have drastically reduced the number of rickshaws in Jeypore, for the microscopic minority who now earn their bread by pulling rickshaw the scorching summer days have been painful.
They find customers rarely these days while waiting for a customer under the burning sun has added to their woes.
Many have already left the profession while a few others, who have been in the trade for generations, struggle to make both ends meet and in due course of time, many rickshaw pullers are seen resorting to drug use out of frustration.
“Earlier, we used to earn something around Rs 400 a day which has come down to a paltry Rs 100 or even less. It is becoming increasingly difficult to live,” said Bura Prakash of Jeypore who has no option but to live inside the rickshaw round the clock instead of taking a house on rent.
B Konga, a native of Jeypore, who has been in the city for several years, said the scorching heat over last 15 days has made life miserable as people prefer to hire cars and auto rickshaws than rickshaws. So it is really hard to earn two square meals.
Most of the rickshaw pullers, expecting a customer or two, wait endlessly either under trees or inside their rickshaws at important places like Rajapalace chowk, MG Road, Government Bus stand, Welcome Junction and Gandhi Chhak. Some of them who have been in the city over decades couldn’t control their tears while narrating their woes.
“I have been pulling rickshaws in the lanes of this city for 20 years. The increasing number of auto rickshaws has affected our living. I don’t know what to feed my family with just an income of Rs 50- Rs 100 a day,” said B Apparao of Jayanagar under Jeypore.
He narrated, “Our children are going to Government schools just to get MDM. Taking studies is just a dream for us.”
Echoing similar sentiments, B Ramesh said the rickshaw stand near Traffic Gate has been his home for 20 years. “Forget about the income, the trees have become our savior during this unbearable summer,” he added.
As rickshaw is a cheap and a pollution free mode of transportation, the Government should take some measures to help out these poor rickshaw pullers and there family with some extra facility, opined locals.