Migrant workers head home to vote, kilns grind to a halt

More than 10,000 migrant workers, hailing from Bihar, Odisha, West Bengal, Chandigarh and Rajasthan, who were employed in the brick-kilns, have gone for voting in the polls being held in different phases in their States. Though polling is over in some states, the labourers have extended their leave and brick kiln owners are unsure of their return. Several brick kilns are located in Coimbatore outskirts at Peria Thadagam, Pannimadai, Somayampalayam, Kanuvai, Nanjundapuram, Mangarai and other surrounding areas.

Following the absence of migrant labourers, who constitute majority of the workforce, the brick kilns are coping up with minimum production through local work force from Karur, Salem and Madurai districts.

“Usually the migrant labourers from north India would take up to 10 days of leave for important festivals like Deepavali and other family functions. They would then come back and resume work, but this time, they haven’t confirmed their day of return,” said R Muthurathinam, a brick kiln owner at Kanuvai area.

The brick kiln owners claimed that orders for bricks have been pouring in ahead of the monsoon season, but they couldn’t meet the soaring demand due to a shortage of workforce. The employers have already been in touch with the workers asking them to come back and resume work.

Similarly, thousands of migrant workers employed in textile firms in Tirupur have also gone to their respective states for polling and are yet come back, resulting in a dip in production. The textile firms, too, are managing with the local workforce.