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Out of school and in search of work

KORAPUT: Rama Khora, a 13-year-old boy from Raipada village in Lamtaput block of Koraput district, tries to read the letters on a bus parked in a bus bay before embarking on a journey in search of work.

A school dropout, he had to discontinue fifth class last year and labour it out to supplement the family income.

“There is no work in our village or in its vicinity,” he said, showing the healed wounds on his palms.

Accompanying his family members and 20 others from his village, he said this was the third time in the last six months he was going out in search of work.

Last time he had been to Jatani, where he worked for laying of a drain. He was paid Rs.60 per day by the contractor.

This time, he had no clue as to where he and his team members would have to have to work.

Mangala Kirsani, Sashi Kirsani, Sua Kirsani, Rukmani Kirsani and Buduri Kirsani were some girls who were also part of the team being led by Jamuna Mandi, an elderly woman from the village.

“Since there is no work, we are moving out of our homeland after receiving a phone call from Rayagada informing us about availability of some work in the Railways,” Jamuna said.

Rao Babu of Parvatipuram intimated them over phone on Monday about the availability of the work.

Hence, the team was going to Rayagada to meet him. “From there, he will send us to the place of work,” said a team member Sadan Khora.

“We have not even received the wages for the work we did under the NREG programme in their panchayat six months ago,” Sadan alleged, indicating another factor that was forcing them to migrate.

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