Hundreds of daily wagers residing in Kirari, an urbanised slum in North-West Delhi, having lost their jobs due to demonetisation held a rally on Wednesday. They demanded ‘Government-run free kitchens and medical centres’ to be immediately opened in the area.
At least one lakh labourers living here have lost their jobs and thousands are returning to their native villages in Bihar and Uttar Pradesh, as they have no money to survive in the national Capital due to demonetisation.
Congress leader Pratyush Kanth said, “Kirari residents have been worst affected, especially women, by the demonetisation policy. Hundreds of households have members who have lost their jobs, have no money, food or medicine. We want the Government to announce a special package for Kirari and in all other such areas of Delhi where the most underprivileged people of society live.
Right to live is a right given to us by our Constitution and it is the Government’s job to ensure that people get food and medicine. The rich have not been affected by demonetisation, but the poor are struggling to survive.”
Kirari residents are worried for their future and there is despair in every household. Children have been equally affected as parents are unable to pay their fees; so they have stopped going to schools or have been sent back to their native villages. It is going to be a challenge for us to send them back to school again,” said Kanth.
More than 15,000 small units which used to make everyday goods like trousers, shirts, shoes, bindis, biscuits etc have closed down, rendering thousands jobless. “like in any other urbanised slum, every other household in Kirari, had some small business activity and their goods were sold on the streets of Delhi. The entire business was cash based. Overnight, all these business activities have come to an end,” said Kanth.
Kirari has slowly slipped to a barter system, exchanging supplies for basic survival. It is a shame that people are ready to work anywhere, just to provide food for their families. Most of the people living here do not have bank accounts and shops have stopped giving supplies on credit. The work-force was generally employed in the unorganised sector and due to demonetisation most of them have lost their jobs.
“Congress workers, along with several big companies have distributed more than 5,000 blankets in Kirari. We have also been distributing rice and daal to the poor families. But it is next to impossible for private people to take care of the 8 lakh people who live here. We demand that the Government should immediately open free kitchens for the poor and give medicines to the old and sick,” said Kanth.