New job for labourers who became jobless due to lack of sand

• Sand labourers now harvest paddy

Kota: Lack of labourers and due to easier work, use of mechanized method has become inevitable in agriculture. Amidst this, a few still hang on to the traditional methods. But there is a lack of local labourers for this work, because of which one has to depend on labourers from other districts. Similarly, this time, due to the lack of sand in Udupi district, many construction labourers became jobless. However they are now employed for harvesting paddy.

No lack of labourers

Labourers from Koppal, Raichur, Bidar, Bijapur and other districts are now employed in the cutting of paddy. They live in huts at prominent places in Udupi, Kundapur and leave to work at various locations in the district. Last year, there was a limited amount of workers available for the work of harvesting. But this time, there is a large number of labourers available for the work.

Earnings through hard work

If accommodation facility is provided to these labourers, they report to work at the fields in the morning within 7:30 – 8 am and continue cutting the paddy without break till 6 pm in the evening.  They earn a salary of Rs 500- 600. Additionally, they have embodied the harvesting method of Karavali.

Since the local labourers have receded from harvesting, in order to follow the traditional method of harvesting, people from a single home must work. Or else they are compelled to face the situation of employing labourers from other districts. Hence, these labourers have become the sole option for traditional method of harvesting.

4 acres of harvesting in the traditional method

“I cultivate 4 acres of paddy. Every year, I do harvesting following the traditional method by employing labourers from other districts. Through this method, there is a greater yield in the husk and rice, and hence a greater profit. This time, due to the sand problem there is greater number of labourers available,” said Ravindra Aitala, Progressive farmers, Padukere.

Work gives us pleasure

“Since 5 years, I have been visiting this area for harvesting. Initially, I found the method used here difficult. Now I am used to it. I find it pleasurable to come once in a year here and work. This time, due to the sand issue, all from my village are involved in agriculture,” explains Hanumantappa Koppala, a Progressive farmer’s labourer.

Article by Rajesh Ganiga Achladi translated into English by Aaron Dmello