Maharashtra: Working People’s Charter seeks community kitchens for migrants

Members of the Working People’s Charter meet Food and Supplies Minister Chhagan Bhujbal at his residence

A Delegation of the Working People's Charter (WPC) met Food and Supplies Minister Chhagan Bhujbal at his residence on Thursday to demand implementation of the Supreme Court's May 24 order regarding setting up of community kitchens by the state government for migrant workers.

The delegation comprising Advocate Vinod Shetty (ACORN Dharavi Collective), Bilal Khan (Ghar Bachao Ghar Banao), Madhuri Jalmulvar (Kashtakari Sangharsh Mahasangh and Shweta Damle (HALWA) submitted a list of 18 locations in Mumbai where there is a need for community kitchens for migrant workers. "The meeting was to demand community kitchens as a means of making affordable nutritious meals available in nearby locations and informal manufacturing hubs and clusters," said WPC.

Also Read: Mumbai man sets up community kitchen to help poor migrants amid Covid-19 curbs

The WPC delegation also pointed out to the minister that they were happy with the government's announcement of two lakh Shiv Bhojhan thalis, and that they must increase it to 10 lakh thalis for "more locations with easier access." The delegation further pointed out that unlike the migrant exodus in 2020, this time the workers have chosen to stay back with the hope that work will resume. "But since the state was put under curbs in April, they have not received their wages." It also asked the government to speed up the distribution of free ration among those without valid documents. Khan said, "Workers are out of work due to the shutting down of factories and other informal economic enterprises. They have still not recovered from the effects of the previous national lockdown; they're facing indebtedness, especially against informal money lenders."

The delegation added that the minister had not specified any number by which the thalis would be increased, although he "agreed that there was a need to increase them."

Damle said, "Consequent waves of the pandemic are creating hunger and healthcare crisis. Given the poor public healthcare infrastructure, such people are forced to go to private hospitals that overcharge them and they are forced to take credit on heavy interest rates from local lenders. Nutritional poverty has also compromised their immunity."