The lockdown and its impact on livelihood of migrant workers from Assam’s Lakhimpur district has hit hard five youths as they have started a journey from Pune towards home on bicycles, thanks to the unresponsive helpline No 104.
The five youths are Indra Hazarika, Biman Bora, Manash Saikia of Pratapgarh village under Bogeenadi police station and Suren Baruah from Anantapur and Krishna Saikia from Thekeraguri under Chawuldhowa police outpost.
They were working in a factory in Pune, but they lost their jobs following the imposition of nationwide lockdown due to the spread of COVID19.
Their miseries were further compounded when they were thrown out from their rented homes by the landlords on suspicion that they might carry COVID19 infection.
Sources said, “The youths dialed the Assam state COVID19 helpline No 104 for assistance for more than 20 days but failed to get any response.”
“Desperate to reach home with no money in their pockets the youths started to ride back home on bicycles from Pune on May 16,” said sources.
The five Lakhimpur youths were also accompanied by five others from Biswanath, two from Sonitpur and one from Chirang district and the group already reached Madhya Pradesh on Tuesday.
According to their anxious family members, the youths had been provided food and water bottles by police in one place on the way.
Their family members here also have appealed to the authorities in Assam to rescue the youths from Madhya Pradesh as they are completely exhausted due to fatigue and hunger.
