Rain deepens distress of labourer families

Our Correspondent

Abohar, November 17

Rain that lashed the town three times in the past 48 hours has deepened the challenge to arrange food, clothing and shelter for about 30 families, which were rendered roofless as PUDA on Friday got all quarters in the abandoned cooperative spinning mills labour colony razed in the presence of civil and police officials.

They had come here from Bihar, Uttar Pradesh and Odisha to serve in the Abohar Cooperative Spinning Mills about three decades ago and were allotted small quarters in the labour colony. The mills that suffered heavy losses reportedly due to poor administration and alleged corrupt practices were finally shut in 2001 and its land was transferred to PUDA to develop colony.

The families had challenged PUDA drive in the High Court, but could not get any relief. Their appeal against the HC orders was expected to come up before the Supreme Court next week.

A few affected women said their household items were damaged and children shivered in cold due to heavy rain. “It is not possible to use wood to prepare food. PUDA officials directed us to leave the site immediately, but a kind-hearted official of the Revenue Department understood our agony and allowed time to arrange alternate accommodation somewhere else in the town till Tuesday,” an affected person said.

Realising their problems, volunteers of Robinhood Army, an NGO, arranged food for the affected families.

Victims from Bihar, UP, Odisha

They had come here from Bihar, Uttar Pradesh and Odisha to serve in the Abohar Cooperative Spinning Mills about three decades ago and were allotted small quarters in the labour colony.