A large number of construction workers in Udayapur have become jobless after river mining was banned in the district resulting in lack of construction materials.

These jobless workers have announced protest. After the government banned the transportation of construction materials like gravel, sand and boulders for two months, construction workers have become jobless. They are worried that they will have to face an even worse situation and money crunch at a time when Dashain is approaching.

Harka Bahadur Bishwokarma, of Triyuga municipality, said it has been very hard for him to feed his five-member family. Bishwokarma has been involved in construction work for the past ten years. He said he has been facing a hard time managing everyday essentials for his family for the last one month, due to the ban. “I don’t know anything except construction work, and now that too has been taken away,” he lamented, adding that he had been taking loan to manage two meals a day for his family.

“Daily wage labourers have no option but to move to India for survival,” said Shasi Rai, District Coordinator of General Federation of Nepalese Trade Unions (GEFONT). Santosh Chaudhary, a daily wage labourer, said that they didn’t have any option except going to India as Dashain festival was near and there was no hope of work resuming in Udayapur.

Published on: 21 August 2014 | The Himalayan Times