The Hindu : Andhra Pradesh News : Skilled granite workers bound for their States

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Sunday, Jul 20, 2008
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Andhra Pradesh

Andhra Pradesh

Skilled granite workers bound for their States

D. Chandra Bhaskar Rao

Majority of them are migrant workers from Rajasthan and UP

Soaring cost of living upsets their plans
Managements not ready for wage hike, says a worker

- Photo G. N. Rao

Feeling the pinch: Granite workers at a polishing unit in Mudigonda on Saturday.

MUDIGONDA (Khammam dist): Over 80 granite units-that sprung up in the past 10 years in and around Mudigonda, thus making it an industrial hub in the district- have been facing shortage of labour.

Some 7,000 skilled and unskilled workers engaged in the granite units are in for a trying time, thanks to the price rise.

A majority of them are migrant workers from the marble rich regions of Rajasthan and Uttar Pradesh. They came here hoping to work hard and save money to support their families back home. Their earnings range from Rs 3,000 to Rs 3,500 a month while overtime work fetches Rs. 500 more. But the soaring cost of living upsets their plans. The migrant workers, despite staying together and eating in common mess, are left with little surplus.

The monthly mess bill which used to be less than Rs. 600 to Rs. 700 per head shot up by 100 per cent.

Palmolein is costing more than Rs. 75 as against Rs. 45 per litre some six months ago. Rice is costing Rs. 22 a kg against Rs. 14.

The cost of other provisions rose by 20 per cent to 30 per cent thus leaving us no scope to send sufficient money to our families, says Sushil Kumar, a polishing worker from Habdipur village in Sitapur district of Uttar Pradesh.

Many of his group members are home bound. Some 500 workers had already left the granite units after March. Lakshman Singh from Kishangarh in Rajasthan said the managements were not ready for any wage hike. “We do not have unions to fight for our cause”.

The managements are also in loss because of the hike in diesel price.

Harnathbabu, who owns one of the oldest granite units here says the operations in his granite quarry required some 300 litres a day. Diesel was costing Rs. 7,640 per barrel as against Rs. 6,900 earlier.

The cost of transport was also up by 30 per cent.

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