The daily battle against hunger

HUNGER is such a burning issue that people often find themselves running from pillar to post, day and night, searching for employment to provide food for themselves and their families. At times, there is so much desperation that they have to clutch at straws. During the Covid-19 pandemic, the Prime Minister appeared on television and urged well-off people to continue paying gig workers or daily-wagers even if they missed a few days of work due to the lockdown. His appeal must have resonated with many, and undoubtedly, some did the needful.

The gesture reminded me of an incident that took place about two decades ago, when I decided to renovate my house. The contractor who handled the work lived in our neighbourhood. I approached him, asking for an estimate of the renovation cost, including his labour charges, so that I could apply for a loan from my employer. After providing the details, he started the work, bringing along a mason and three labourers every day. He worked from 8 am to 5 pm. During the lunch break around noon, he would go home for his meal. His house was only a short walk away from mine, while the other workers had lunch on the first floor of my house.

At the time, I had taken leave to supervise the construction along with my wife. One day, during the lunch break, I decided to go upstairs to inspect the work and chat with the mason and the labourers. Three of them were eating together, while one older worker was sitting alone in a corner, having his meal in silence. Out of curiosity, I glanced at his food and was shocked. He had two or three rotis wrapped in a piece of paper; instead of sabzi or daal, he was eating them with salt. I immediately rushed downstairs and asked my wife, “Do we have any vegetable dish right now? The old labourer is eating rotis with just salt!”

She told me that she hadn’t prepared anything yet, but there was some leftover sabzi from the previous night in the fridge. I asked her to warm it up so I that could give it to the old man. That day, it dawned on me what food meant to a hungry person. I also realised the enormity of a daily-wage worker’s struggle, especially if he or she misses even a single day of work. It was a stark reminder of the harsh realities some people faced every day — truly, it was food for thought.