Agandhar Tiwari

Thirteen workers of the Tallo Modi Hydropower Project under the Phewa Constructions have been stranded in Chhisti, Baglung, since Tuesday. They were making their way home to Dailekh from Parbat on foot.

“We have been walking on hungry stomachs since Tuesday morning. We don’t know if we can continue our journey home,” said Jiraj Oli, one of the workers.

The workers had started their journey from Chuwa in Kushma Municipality on Tuesday morning after the project work was suspended in light of the protracted lockdown. However, authorities are raising concerns about their departure since people’s movement has been restricted. 

The Disaster Management Committee in Parbat has tightened people’s movement from one local unit to another and one ward to another during the lockdown.

According to the workers, they had received a recommendation letter from the office of Kushma Ward No. 8, allowing them to make their journey home on foot. 

On Wednesday morning, the committee held a meeting in Kushma to discuss how the group of workers went out of the district and received a recommendation letter. 

“How could the workers leave the district amid such tight security?” said Amrit Subedi, the assistant chief district officer, adding that the administration will soon take them back to Parbat and arrange for their food and shelter. 

Around 1,000 labourers are working in various projects under the Phewa Constructions in Parbat district. Rajendra Pahari, a representative of the construction company, said around 900 workers were sent home before March 31. 

“Some of the workers are still stranded here. The local administration did not allow us to send them home after March 31. We have managed food and shelter for the workers in Parbat,” claimed Pahari, adding that 13 workers left the district without informing the office of the Phewa Constructions. 

Meanwhile, 24 workers from a brick kiln in Kushma were found walking along the Mid-Hill highway on their way to Bardiya on Wednesday. But the District Police Office in Parbat restricted them from leaving the district and requested the local administration to arrange for their food and accomodation. 

Kalpana Ghimire, chief district officer of Parbat, said the local administration will provide food and shelter to the stranded workers. 

“We will take action against the brick kiln operator, if found guilty, for sending the workers home,” Ghimire said. 

The workers claimed that they were forced to move out of the brick kiln, as the operator did not pay them a month’s salary. 

On Wednesday, 12 workers reached Besisahar from Marshyangdi on foot. They were on the way to their homes in Rukum, Salyan and Surkhet districts. Rabindra Man Gurung, deputy superintendent of police, said the police have requested contractor companies and local units to manage food and shelter for the stranded workers. 

“We could not let them walk during the lockdown,” said Gurung. 

Chief District Officer Laxman Bahadur Khadka said the local administration has been coordinating with the local units to make all stranded workers stay where they are. 

On Thursday morning, 12 workers from Lamjung were rescued by the police from the Prithvi Highway in Dumre, Tanahun. Badrinath Adhikari, chief district officer of Tanahun, said the workers were on their way to Kailali. 

“They have been rescued and taken to Damauli. We are going to keep them in a quarantine facility,” said Adhikari. 

Aash Gurung from Lamjung contributed reporting.

Published on: 17 April 2020 | The Kathmandu Post