The demonetization drive of the govt to curb black money and fake notes comes with a price. For general public, it’s just queuing up at banks and ATMs but not for the labourers in Maharashtra. Going to bank would mean a full day away from work, which will be equivalent to losing out a day’s pay.
With income getting dropped by 80% to 90%, the daily wagers have earned Rs 1000 to Rs 2000 in November. They can’t afford to buy two meals every day. For spending Rs 10 for a meal would mean their families starving.
The mazdoor naka near Bhandup's Madhuban garden is counted as most vibrant place every morning with nearly 500 construction workers ranging from masons, helpers, loaders, tile-polishers lining up for work.
After 8th November, the scenario has changed. With contractors being unable to pay daily, the numbers of labourers have gone below 100. Earlier they used to earn Rs 10000- Rs 15000 a month.
Lahu Suradkar whose wife is 3-months pregnant has spent several days without food. "I can only afford to spend Rs 20 a day to buy grains," he told The Times of India. The langar at two local gurudwaras has become the ticket to survival for many like him.
Many here are migrants from Uttar Pradesh, Andhra Pradesh andrural Maharashtra. Some are heading back to their villages, like Sunil Ishwar from Aurangabad. "At least I will get farm work in the village. Here, I have not made even Rs 100 in ten days," he says. "I do bigari kaam and the rate is Rs 500 a day. Now we are getting Rs 100-150," Maula Kagade from Solapur told TOI.
However relief did come to them, but in form of curse. There is a local country liquor shop who is happily exchanging old notes, but with a clause. Each needs to buy alcohol of at least Rs 150. So for every Rs 500 he is paid in old notes, he can take homeRs 350.
Most of them do not have bank accounts as they don't carry identity papers. Those that do have too little money in them. When TOI asked about the push for cashless payments, Naeem Shaikh shoots back, "I have no work. First ask the government to put money in my account. Then I will use a cheque to get it out."