Lockdown makes residents from NE frantic in Maharastra
NATIONAL | MARCH 27, 2020:
Around 100,000-plus citizens of North Eastern states and Tibetans living, studying or working in Maharashtra are on the verge of panic over the 21-day lockdown as they could encounter a probable 'life-and-death' situation.
Mumbai and Pune, the two main cities which are also worst-hit by COVID-19, also happen to be the major hubs of NE folk, with nearly two-thirds of them being women.
Hailing from Assam, Nagaland, Meghalaya, Mizoram, Arunachal Pradesh, Tripura, Manipur, besides Sikkim and a sprinkling of Tibetans, they are mostly engaged in the hospitality, beauty and grooming, and communication industries.
According to Raikhan, more than 95 percent working in Mumbai-Thane-Pune are in the unorganized sector and depend on daily wages, with the rest in salaried jobs.
"With no wages since the past one week or so, and no salaries expected this month, how do we survive. This is the burning question for us now. We appeal to the concerned government and district authorities to understand our plight and help us immediately before we are thrown to the streets," said Rangam.
Besides, there have been stray incidents of abuse and racial discrimination against the NE folk with some uncharitably calling them 'corona carriers', but these were nipped in the bud, as in the recent case concerning a TISS student of North-East.
Hegde appealed to Mumbai landlords and landladies that in view of the extraordinary circumstances, they should allow some concessions like deferment of rentals, or paying in instalments, etc, to their NE tenants on humanitarian grounds.
Either students or employed in hotels, restaurants, saloons, spas, malls, shopping plazas, salons, or call centres, they are based largely in western suburbs of Mumbai, Mira Road-Bhayander-Kalyan in Thane, Navi Mumbai, Pune and small numbers in other cities.
Though belonging to culturally different states, they enjoy a strong bond among themselves and regularly fraternize through a variety of associations like TWA, Naga Students Union, Mizoram Association, Assam Association, and other local community groups.