The labour crisis amid coronavirus outbreak

:-Chirag Mehta

While states are trying to mitigate coronavirus fractures on economy and improving their health infrastructures. There’s a second order effect that’s slicing a deep cut on migrant labor pool.Mumbai, which hosts one of the maximum interstate migrant laborer has been witnessing excessive labor outflow recently.

Starting right from city exits, there is a swarm of laborer hinging on hopes to get back to their natives either on foot or bicycles. Some are just hopping onto any available vehicle/truck/4 wheeler carrying essentials by paying in form of any assets available.

The situation is even more extreme on Agra Bombay highway. Not a single stretch of KM is empty without laborer commuting on foot. Let alone the trucks filled with migrant workers. With scorching 40 Deg sun, empty stomachs and waterless bottles they struggle to maintain social distancing norms. Nevertheless, everyone has a cloth covered mouth. The sight of helpless migrants rushing to petrol pumps to get some water makes us question our fundamentals.

Will they reach their destination? How do you screen them? How do you ensure distancing norms? How will administration manage this new surge on borders?

Lot of them are going to suffer health issues (Non Covid). These underlying fractures developed will have long term repercussions on State, Capital & Labor. Black Swan event indeed.