Cyclone Amphan comes as blessing in disguise for lockdown-hit jobless labourers, electricians in West Bengal
Kolkata: Bengali proverb ‘Karor poush mash toh karor sorbonash’ (Someone’s loss is another person’s achieve) has taken a literal which means in cyclone-ravaged West Bengal.
On one hand, Cyclone Amphan has wreaked havoc in massive components of south Bengal and affected thousands and thousands of individuals, whereas on the opposite, it has additionally opened up livelihood alternatives for electricians and every day wagers sitting idle for greater than two months because of the coronavirus-induced lockdown.
With a scarcity of manpower to clear uprooted timber and restore energy provide amid protests by individuals staying with out electrical energy or water for greater than 5 days, civic authorities in a number of affected areas have employed the labourers and electricians for restoration work.
“There is a scarcity of manpower as many staff have been unable to hitch responsibility because of the lockdown. Hence, we determined to take the assistance of native labourers to take away the timber blocking the roads.
“Although it is the job of the Calcutta Electric Supply Corporation (CESC) to restore power supply, wires are lying everywhere so we needed the help of local electricians to safely remove them,” a councillor of the Kolkata Municipal Corporation (KMC) instructed PTI.
Apart from the KMC, authorities of the South Dum Dum and the North Dum Dum municipalities have additionally engaged every day wagers to take away the uprooted timber from the roads.
“Hundreds of trees have been uprooted in our municipal area, and we are facing a shortage of manpower. So, we have engaged labourers, who were sitting idle at their homes for the last two months, on a daily payment basis,” Abhijit Mitra, a councillor of South Dum Dum municipality stated.
Manoj Sarangi, a every day wager who used to work in a sawmill, has been jobless because the imposition of the lockdown.
He has now been engaged by the South Dum Dum municipality for restoration work and is being paid Rs 250 each day.
“I didn’t have a job for the last two months and have spent all my savings. This work of removing uprooted trees has saved my family,” he stated.
The civic physique has employed 100 labourers like Sarangi for the restoration work.
For electrician Sajal Das too, the cyclone has come as a blessing in disguise. After remaining jobless for 2 months, his palms at the moment are full.
“Earlier, I used to earn Rs 500 per day but my earning came to a grinding halt due to the lockdown. But since May 22, two days after the cyclone struck West Bengal, my phone has not stopped ringing,” he stated.
“Every day, I am getting calls from people asking me to repair their water pumps or mend electric wires,” he added.
Subal Naskar, a retired technician of the state energy division who now runs {an electrical} equipment store, too is busy attending to requires restoration of cable TV community and restore of ceiling followers amid rising mercury ranges.
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